LGBT rights in the USA today...

[catherine]

I have to admit that I have a visceral response similar to Alan's, but I was brought up in a purity bubble where the only take-away I got from the sex talk I had with my mom at age 10 was to "always be modest" which to me meant I always had to wear long sleeves because otherwise somehow the sperm (which boys were sprinkled with like dandruff) would infiltrate my epidermis and get me pregnant.

I think that what makes me squeamish about Alan's example is the fact that it's in comic book format. I think I would be horrified to think my young teen kids would read it, but again, that's a visceral response based on my background, and my parental instinct that some things should not be readily available for consumption (to my kids at least).

Whether this material should be part of a public library system is a different question. The stuff is out there anyway. I don't see the point of censorship in this culture.

[frugal-one]

Here's a few edited panels from the graphic novel Gender Queer. I'm guessing lots of parents don't care to support the use of public funds to teach kids in the 12 to 18 age range how to give blowjobs.

Was this book marked as for teens or just in the library for anyone to read? If it was labeled for the teen section specifically I would object….

[iris lilies]

Was this book marked as for teens or just in the library for anyone to read? If it was labeled for the teen section specifically I would object….

In the two libraries I checked, it is in the Adult graphic novel collection.

[iris lilies]

I just read up on this book and this cartoon panel doesnt even depict a “ real” blowjob (cough cough strap on.) I don’t know if that is worse or better.

[jp1]

In our county library system it's in the adult section filed under "special photography" within the dewey decimal system. In the san francisco system it's in the adult biography section.

[iris lilies]

Another mid Missouri incidence of drag queen shows and children. This time a middle school class was taken to a show about diversity that included a drag show. Probably the show was sanitized, who knows, but at this point if there are educators working who do not understand this is a hot button topic not worth the fallout, then perhaps those educators need to go.

[jp1]

How does one decide where the line is for whether the fallout is worth it? Republicans have made it quite clear that they aren't going to stop with half measures. They have no intention of stopping until we get back to how society was in 1860. If we don't push back on this do we also not push back against the idiocy of "critical race theory" freakouts? Or any of their other sad culture war issues that they use to rile up their white victimhood voter base?

[JaneV2.0]

I see Mean Boy Ron DeSantis has canceled a high school AP course in black history because it notes the presence of gay African-Americans in the movement. Talk about "cancel culture!"

[iris lilies]

How does one decide where the line is for whether the fallout is worth it? Republicans have made it quite clear that they aren't going to stop with half measures. They have no intention of stopping until we get back to how society was in 1860. If we don't push back on this do we also not push back against the idiocy of "critical race theory" freakouts? Or any of their other sad culture war issues that they use to rile up their white victimhood voter base?

Well jp, for the Drag Queen show issue, how educators should make the decision is “Drag Queens = Not for our students.” Pretty simple.

now, when the Missouri legislature comes for me for taking my 15 year old to a drag show, then I will come and sit with you on your side of the bench. That is a different issue.

Sensible educators will not waste their time promoting or defending Drag Shows for school children.

I think back to just a few months ago when I was naive. I heard that a Drag Show with bumping and grinding took place in a school in Ankeny, Iowa. Ankeny is a place I know well. So I delved into the details and found, as most headline news, the real story was somewhat different. Yes that show took place on school ground BUT administrators didn’t know or approve of it. The kids had planned and executed it. And that is something I understand because kids are gonna be kids and make not great decisions.I suspect a faculty advisor either knew or should have known, but I will give them a pass on this one.

[LDAHL]

People are forever comparing unfavorable output/cost ratios of American (Yeah, I said it, American) medicine to other countries. But we don’t do the same with the poor performance of our education system. You have places like SF expending energy on renaming empty schools or Seattle’s everybody gets a pass approach during Covid for “equity” purposes. Mandarins decree new ideological slants to history and become indignant when “domestic terrorists” have a problem with it. Meanwhile our society seems measurably dumber by the year.

I think it takes two for a culture war.