North Carolina Republicans Introduce "Don't Say Gay" Bill

It's an election year and predictably, Republicans across the country are resorting to their standard "god, gus, and gays" ploy to whip the extremist elements within the party base into a frenzy that they hope will motivate their bigoted and hate-filled base to go to the polls in November and vote against their own best economic interest.  With a host of real issues that need to be addressed - gun control, economic, environmental and immigration issues in dire need of addressing, trying to further ignite the so-called cultur wars is all the GOP has to offer.  In North Carolina, this effort has taken the form of a "don't say gay" bill that has been introduced into the North Carolina Senate.  The goal of the bill (which is dressed up as a "parental rights" bill) is to erase LGBT individuals from school curriculums and to "out" students to parents - something that could result in emotional and physical abuse or add more youths to the already large number of LGBT youth who have been discarded by homophobic parents.  The bill has nothing to do with protecting children and everything about energizing the most hideous elements of the GOP base.  A piece in The Advocate looks at this disgusting bill.  Here are excerpts:

North Carolina’s state senators have introduced a version of a “don’t say gay” bill, following several other GOP-led states. The legislation, which is currently going through Senate committees, would prohibit teaching students about gender or sexuality during early elementary school.

It could also require school employees to out LGBTQ+ students in any grade level, according to Raleigh’s The News & Observer.

LGBTQ+ advocates and other critics of the bill, HB755, have called it anti-LGBTQ, but Republican lawmakers say they are supporting parents, not being discriminatory.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper may veto the bill.

He said that lawmakers shouldn’t bring “the ‘don’t say gay’ culture wars” into the state’s classrooms, according to The Associated Press.

“Schools are grateful for involved parents and we need even more of them working together with teachers to educate our children,” Cooper said in a statement. “However, the last thing our state needs is another Republican political ploy like the bathroom bill which hurt our people and cost us jobs.”

Aside from the ban on teaching LGBTQ+ topics in class, Tuesday’s legislation would also force school employees, like guidance counselors or teachers, to inform a student’s parents if the student comes out to them if the parents asked. It would also require schools to notify if a student’s name or pronouns are changed in official school records.

The bill also grants parents more access to textbooks, curricula, and other aspects of their student’s education. If schools do not provide such access, parents would be able to sue the school.

Some North Carolina teachers have taken issue with the bill. “Unfortunately, there are many households where children are not safe coming out. Forcibly making children come out in environments that are hostile will absolutely put their lives at risk,” Taylor Cordes, a North Carolina teacher, told local TV station WRAL.

LGBTQ+ rights group Equality NC condemned the bill.  “We are outraged that this bill continues to progress through the General Assembly. We are disappointed in the NC GOP’s lack of transparency, and fast-tracking of such a harmful piece of legislation. House Bill 755 is an attack on LGBTQ+ youth, educators, and parents,” the organization’s executive director, Kendra Johnson, said in a release. “We know that forced outing and erasure in the curriculum have severe impacts on queer and trans young people’s safety, mental health and well-being, especially poor youth, and youth of color.”

Sadly, Republicans care nothing about the lives they harm.  It's all about self-advancement and getting elected/re-elected.