“Shhhh…. If we don’t say the word “homosexual”, it won’t exist.”
At least that’s what some Republican legislators in Tennessee believe. St. Sen. Stacey Campfield (R) believes that no elementary school, nor middle school student should ever hear the word “homosexuality”.
Sections 1 and 2 of SB49:
“(1) The general assembly recognizes the sensitivity of particular subjects that are best explained and discussed in the home. Human sexuality is a complex subject with societal, scientific, psychological, and historical implications; those implications are best understood by children with sufficient maturity to grasp their complexity.
(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no public elementary or middle school shall provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.”
So basically, what they are saying is: “Homosexuality isn’t real, and if we ignore it, it will go away. By the time children get to high school they will already be well indoctrinated into the heterosexual lifestyle, and there will be no chance of homosexuality ever emerging from within our developing youth. We plan to make a bubble so thick that even a big rainbow sized pin couldn’t dare pop it. If a child comes to you stating that they think they might be gay, quickly tell them that they are going through a phase, everybody has those feelings, and they will soon find love within the heterosexual world. Thy will be done.”
This law is basically saying that homosexuality is a learned psychological behavior that defies God…even science, and throughout history it has been allowed to become a societal norm.
Here’s the catch, it is a societal norm. By keeping children in that bubble you are creating a very volatile situation for very fragile lives. You are not only saying that being gay is not okay, but you are making it the law.
In a state that wanted to make Sharia Law a crime, they are doing the same thing with this Theocratic Fundamentalist Christianification of the youth in Tennessee. They are defying the Constitution of the United States of America: “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” They are making a law based off of religious theology. Not to mention the violation of free speech. The American Psychiatric Association has also proven that being gay is not a mental disorder, nor a lifestyle choice. What being gay is, is being human. What denying homosexuality does, is prevent natural child development. It tells a child that if they think they are gay there must be something wrong with them. Why? Because it was the “Christian” opinion of a Republican legislature.
Dear Tennessee,
The Bubble will pop. It always does. Let’s just hope not too many children are damaged by your bigotry and hate.
Sincerely,
Humankind
At the risk of trivialising the debate. An anti-gay senator called Campfield?
Another Rw closeteer?
Welcome to the state that only wants what “it” decides is normal. I wonder what the adulterous ones consider marriage vows? – options?
Ha. Kids learn a lot from adults, and RW evangelical fundamentalists are the champeens of multiple divorces, not to mention cheatin’ and lyin’ if their family law courts and music are anything to go by.
Funny thing about cultural expectations: if a Baptist woman is divorced or widowed, she’s under a lot of pressure to remarry (because how can a woman get by without a man’s guidance?) whereas in Roman Catholic culture, a woman who remarries is some sort of adulteress for betraying the ancient Roman honor code of unavira (one-man).
In essence, this law is redundant. Homosexuality isn’t part of the curriculum until after 9th grade already, sad to say.
This is simply a little flexing of power by a generation fearful of difference. Tennessee hasn’t been particularly noted for voluntary progress in the last few decades.
Here are the email addresses for Sen. Campfield and Rep. Dunn, proposers of the bill…feel free to use them, spread them around, whatever…
sen.stacey.campfield@capitol.tn.gov
rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov
Everyone who is as angry about this as I am should contact these two and tell them how ashamed of themselves they should be. What gives them the right to take away the First Amendment Rights of anyone!? Let alone LEGALLY shun an entire group of people who are in a PUBLIC FORUM?
I am going to pretend that I am a conservative for just moment. I am now bigoted.
Tenn: I’m not going to tell them that gays exist. They won’t find out until high school! By then they’ll know they exist, but they won’t have a good idea about them, so I can teach them to hate.
Intelligent Conservative (I know, they don’t exist, but if they did): I’m going to teach them about homosexuality sooner. When they’re younger, they’re more impressionable. I can teach them to hate gays/lesbians/bisexuals before they know any better.
Alright, all done being conservative. If they want to not talk about sexuality, that’s probably not a huge problem. However, don’t talk about heterosexuality either. You can at least then try and say that you’re letting it go until later, or letting their parents talk to them about it.
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DEAR RIGHT,
If you are going to try and hide the fact that heterosexual is not the only sexual orientation, I have a few tips for you. Ban television, the internet, radio, music and literature.
Literature includes the Bible, I hope you know. Even if it is portrayed as negative, they’ll still learn about it. I guess you have a hard choice to make here.
Xeno
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I’m sick of the right’s incompetence. If you’re going to try and brain wash them, and fill them with hate, please do it the right way. At least I won’t be ashamed of how you’re forcing our country down the gutter.
Sorry, I’m done now.
Just so you know not all conservatives are bigoted idiots. I am a GAY conservative and despite never hearing the word homosexual growing up I am gay. I am not saying that I think this law is a good one, I most certainly don’t.
I am just so sick of liberals grouping all conservatives in the same pile. Just because the far right religious crazies are the ones with the loudest voice right now does not mean that there are not others out there. Others like me that believe in gay/trans/queer rights and marriage.
Ah, a one-issue voter. Here’s a tip: by the time you’re done f***ing the poor, the public sector, schoolchildren, ethnic and religious minorities, and basically anyone who isn’t superrich and super-Christian, there won’t be anyone left to give a spit about your issues.
Hope you’re wealthy enough to flee to the first world when the tide you’ve unleashed comes your way.
A homosexual conservative? That’s a new one. It’s not bad, just unexpected.
If you don’t want to be generalized in a pile of far-right religious crazies (and they most certainly are, your comment being correct), then you should probably not be involved in a group that has chosen them to be their voice.
These people are losing it. Their kids are going to be exposed to gays in literature, tv and in their schools. Do they think “The Gays” just magically pop up after school is over? It is so different from when I was a kid in the 50-60′s. I went into the Army in 1970 and had never even heard of homosexuality. In my conservative NJ town I don’t think it was ever mentioned. Now, it is on TV, movies etc. Kids see and relate and accept much more easily than the parents do.