Indiana HB 1608 - Transphobic Legislation Comes Home

Late last month, the Indiana House passed HB 1608. The legislation prohibits discussion of LGBTQ children in schools and discloses transgender students' identities. One of the shameful “Don't Say Gay” clones that are being passed in red states. It passed with minimal discussion. The bill will now advance to the Senate where it too will pass. 

ACLU of Indiana Advocacy and Public Policy Director, Katie Blair, issued the following statement: 

“HB 1608 is a disgraceful piece of legislation that targets LGBTQ kids by censoring conversations about LGBTQ families in schools and forcing teachers to out transgender students. Every parent hopes our laws will ensure children’s safety, protection, and freedom. But the Indiana legislators supporting this bill are rejecting those values and targeting LGBTQ kids for bullying and mistreatment, just because of who they are. Our schools should protect all students—including LGBTQ students—so they can learn and thrive in a safe environment. The legislators behind HB 1608 are trying to force schools to violate that most basic trust. LGBTQ families in Indiana will not be erased and we will be out in force if and when this bill is heard in the Senate.” 

I've seen the wingers with the prion disease argue that it is necessary to protect kids from woke teachers turning them gay or transgender. Others say that we need it to protect five year olds from learning about complex sex stuff. 

One I got into it with, on the internet, said (paraphrasing and cleaning it up):

“Don't expect parents to buy into your delusions of K-12 students not being abused in recent years. Instances like Drag Queen Story Hour, a transgender girl assaulting a biological girl in two separate school bathrooms, administering puberty blockers without parental consent, after-school programs where teachers encourage students to lie to their parents, kids being taken away from their parents for not using preferred pronouns, and books like 'Gender Queer' portraying sexual acts such as rape and fellatio have been found in numerous schools. This bill's aim is not political, but to safeguard children from malevolent, twisted individuals who wish to harm them.”

I've take a page out of a brilliant and thoughtful lawyer friend of mine's playback when dealing with stuff like this. I ask where they got this info. When they come back with a dubious blog post or whatever, I then breakdown into journalist mode. Explaining that sources matter and so forth, which I did in this case. Radio silence since then, which is not really the point. 

Thinking about this longer and harder than I have on any right-wing bullshit for a while now, this is what I've come up with. The first thing these lawmakers do is point say the bill aims to prohibit sexual education for students in third grade and below. That is not an appropriate topic for young students. “I don't my tender, naïve third grader exposed to sexualized concepts!” Well, yeah, no one wants that and it isn't happening. No Indiana students are not currently learning sex education in those grades. 

So what is this really about? Who are these “Don't Say Gay” bills really for? Seems that they are mostly for angry male chauvinists. The goal is obviously to prevent teachers from being able to support LGBTQ students. A way to own the libs at the cost of their (or other people's) children. That's really sweet of them. I thought you people didn't like hearing “we are from the government and we are here to help.”

Which brings me to another point, you can't really have a reasonable, rational conversation with conservatives about matters of race, gender, sexuality, so forth. These are issues deeply entrenched and people on the right are offended when asked to consider another viewpoint. 

What I'm seeing here on social media is pointing out a problem that demands attention, and people on the right using this as an opportunity to shout her down, condescend, deride, and ignore. Such is the way. 

But, really, we can read between the lines. Just say you hate gay people. Be like the Dilbert guy and say the quite part out loud.