15 other 'Don't Say Gay'-type bills popping up around the nation as backlash may be growing against them

 It looks like Florida isn't the only state pushing a 'Don't Say Gay' bill. According to a recent article in The Hill, there are 15 other bills popping up around the nation:

Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill is just one part of a nationwide trend. There are 15 similar bills moving through state legislatures that restrict how textbooks and curriculums teach LGBTQ+ topics, who can be hired and what teachers are allowed to say when it comes to gender identity and sexual orientation.

 A House bill in Tennessee would ban textbook and instructional materials that “promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) lifestyles” in K-12 schools. Another, in Kansas, seeks to amend the state’s obscenity law to make using classroom materials depicting “homosexuality” a Class B misdemeanor. Legislators in Indiana are working to bar educators from discussing in any context “sexual orientation,” “transgenderism” or “gender identity” without permission from parents.

. . . Oklahoma legislators have put five measures before its Congress that regulate how schools from K-12 to higher education teach LGBTQ+ issues. Two bills, SB 1142 and SB 1654, would prohibit librarians and teachers from distributing materials on or outright discussing “any form of non-procreative sex,” gender identity and “lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender issues.” 

 Another Oklahoma Senate bill would ban public schools from employing anyone who “promotes positions in the classroom or at any function of the public school that is in opposition to closely held religious beliefs of students.” And SB 1141 would bar requiring public university courses on “gender, sexual, or racial diversity, equality, or inclusion,” supplementing an already-passed House bill that is currently part of a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU.

While supporters of these bills claim they are trying to protect children and give parents more power, a slow but steady backlash is arising.  LGBTQ parents, kids, and allies are coming out to speak against and protest the Florida bill. And as the bill works it way through the legislature, that number is growing.  President Biden and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is openly gay, have publicly denounced the Florida bill and other anti-LGBTQ legislation. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten have also criticized Florida's bill, saying that it will harm LGBTQ kids. 

Lastly, in a bizarre move,  the co-sponsor of the Florida bill recently added an amendment requiring schools to out LGBTQ students to their parents even if the outing could potentially lead to violence or neglect against the child. 

To say that this hasn't help the bill's popularity would be an extreme understatement.

Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill being changed to deliberately expose LGBTQ kids to violence and abandonment

 As it was originally written, Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill is a nightmare to the state's LGBTQ community. But a recent change may make the bill more dangerous to LGBTQ kids.

A portion of the bill originally said that school officials must out LGBTQ students to their parents unless "a reasonably prudent person would believe that such a disclosure would lead to abuse, abandonment, or neglect . . ." 

In a change suggested by the bill's sponsor, Rep Joe Harding, school officials would be required to out LGBTQ kids to their parents regardless of whether or not it would lead to abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

An amendment was just filed by the sponsor of #DontSayGay to make it even more dangerous for vulnerable kids with a STATE-MANDATED outing of LGBTQ students to parents, specifically in cases of abuse, abandonment + neglect.

This will have devastating consequences for our youth.😢 pic.twitter.com/3s89rcMrMN

— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) February 20, 2022

The following is the portion Rep Smith is talking about

There is no way to put this politely - the alteration of the bill makes things worse. It demands that school officials out LGBTQ kids even if they know that the consequences would lead to abuse, abandonment, or neglect. The new conditions which come along with this are deliberately vague and completely unenforceable. It requires schools officials to come up with some sort of  "plan," but it doesn't require parents to participate.

The irony of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill is that it sprang from the mindset that school officials interfere with how parents are raising their children. The message is that 'parents know best.' But this bill proves that in some cases, parents may not know best. And the continuous maneuvering proves that the sponsor and supporters of the bill know this but when it comes to the well-being of LGBTQ kids, they simply don't care.

'Pro-LGBTQ companies funded FL lawmakers who back 'Don't Say Gay' bill' & other Fri midday news briefs

Pro-LGBTQ+ Companies Funded Florida Lawmakers Who Back 'Don't Say Gay' - Houston, we have a problem.

Virginia house passes first bill to roll back LGBTQ rights after Republicans won it back​ - Y'all knew they would try this.

Gay lawmaker snaps as NYC mayor says he’ll hire “kill the gays” pastor for “faith-based” position - Very, very unacceptable, Mayor Adams.

LGBTQ Representation On TV Has Hit Record Highs, But Still Falls Short In Key Areas - Good for a start but improvement never hurts.

Gov Kristi Noem claims depression in LGBTQ youth makes her sad (days after signing a bill negatively affecting LGBTQ youth)

If Gov. Kristi Noem actually cared about depression and anxiety in LGBTQ youth, she wouldn't have signed a bill harming LGBTQ youth.

What's worse than a bigoted person? A dense bigoted person. I give you Exhibit A - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem:

Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD), who just signed the first anti-trans bill of 2022 into law, is asked why she thinks 90% of LGBTQ+ youth in South Dakota are diagnosed with anxiety or depression:

“I don’t know. That makes me sad, and we should figure it out.” pic.twitter.com/WbKr2Tlujs

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) February 17, 2022

First of all, forgive me if I come across as petty but Gov Noem seem sad in the above video. Not even a little bit. But if she truly wants to "figure it out," I suggest she look in the mirror. Actions like signing that awful bill - which is based on nothing more than lies and fear - is a leading cause of anxiety and depression in LGBTQ youth. 

According to a study released in January:

More than two-thirds of LGBTQ+ youth say recent efforts by states to limit the rights of transgender and nonbinary people have negatively impacted their mental health, according to a poll released . . .  by the Trevor Project.

 . . .In the Trevor Project’s survey of 820 LGBTQ+ youth aged 13 to 24 years old, 70 percent said they were closely following recent news about issues impacting the transgender community, and two-thirds of LGBTQ+ youth said debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. That impact has been more dramatic among transgender and nonbinary youth, with more than 85 percent of that group reporting that their mental health has taken a hit, according to the survey. 

 "These results underscore how recent politics and ongoing crises facing the globe can have a real, negative impact on LGBTQ young people, a group consistently found to be at significantly increased risk for depression, anxiety and attempting suicide because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society," Amit Paley, CEO of The Trevor Project, said in a statement. 

The fact that Noem doesn't know this  - or pretends not to know this - underscores just how warped the conversation about anti-trans legislation has been. While folks like her go on and on about supposedly 'protecting kids.' they haven't been held accountable to the reality that its their legislation which is doing the actual harm.

Isn't it way past time to make these folks address that fact?

'Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill new focal point in battles on racism, politics (especially presidential politics)' & other Thur midday news briefs

Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill new focal point in battles on racism, politics - Oh you best believe it! The fight is on. DeSantis is trying to build a road to the White House on our backs and the backs of our LGBTQ kids. Hell no. 

Parents' rights, LGBTQ advocates at odds over district's new advisory committee - Sounds like someone is attempting to throw a poison pill into this committee.

French fashion designer gets abuse after sharing photo kissing husband​ - The haters will have to get over it.

Russia makes failed attempt to shut down prominent LGBTQ rights group - This attempt to shut down and erase LGBTQ people is worldwide.

I confess. The heterosexual promiscuity to homosexuality to transgenderism pipeline was MY brilliant creation.

Looks like extremely bigoted Scott Lively has got me dead to rights. 

Transgenderism did not become the "cause celeb" until homosexuality had been normalized, and the campaign to normalize homosexuality did not take center stage until heterosexual promiscuity had been normalized. This is a long-term agenda we're watching unfold, being pushed by people, principalities and powers with a very long view and the patience to allow each stage to settle in slowly until enough of the public accepts it to ensure nothing will be successfully reversed. Don't believe that? Tell me what you think are the prospects for re-criminalizing adultery in America and what's actually changed to make that idea seem ridiculous. Adultery isn't any less immoral or harmful today than it was when its criminalization was considered a no-brainer by virtually everyone. We've simply been the victims of incremental desensitization. 

 Recognizing that truth should lead any honest person to admit that, unless something changes in our approach, we conservatives are going to lose the transgender battle just like we lost the homosexual battle, and later on we're going to lose the transhumanism battle after they've crushed us on transgenderism. And some of the very same people fighting hard against transgenderism today are going to simply shrug their shoulders at it tomorrow, just like today many "conservatives" have decided homosexuality is no big deal anymore. 

 The left wins because they have a vision for the future that drives their movement and excites their activists. They envision a perfect socialist utopia built upon the ashes of Judeo-Christian civilization, and they constantly work proactively to achieve it.

I confess, this was all my plan. Yep. It was all my idea. My brainchild.

I came up with the concept during that great gay recruitment conference on Fire Island in 1967. That is except for that part about the ashes of Judeo-Christian civilization.  I did not plan that. Some white boy snuck it in. You know black queens loves us some Jesus.

Lively has gotten better when it comes to accusing gays of things. I remember when he accused us of starting the Nazi Party. Now that was ludicrous for obvious reasons. Also, no gay men alive would be caught wearing  awful battleship grey uniforms with those annoyingly wide pants legs.

'Bigoted preacher says he hopes 'every single homosexual dies' in hate sermon' & other Wed midday news briefs

Preacher says he hopes “every single homosexual dies” in hate sermon​ - Yes we need to know that people like this are out there. He's a bastard but at least he is more honest than certain people who won't voice that opinion but are attempting to pass legislation with it in mind.

Another Out LGBTQ+ Olympian Won a Gold Medal in Beijing - Nice! 

Trans swimmer Lia Thomas poised to compete in NCAA championships - Some people are angry that Ms. Thomas is going to be able to compete. Let them stay mad.

6 LGBTQ storylines from Super Bowl LVI - Apparently this Super Bowl was very, very LGBTQ friendly.