The Pushback
New legislation around bodies and identity and education abounds. Here's what it means for you.
Last month, I shared some of the news about the chillingly systematic movement to exclude LGBTQ+ youth from the lessons they learn in school, in addition to news about attempts to keep trans youth from accessing gender-affirming care.
And though it may seem impossible, it feels as if things have only intensified since then.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed the "Don't Say Gay" bill into law. This bill prohibits schools from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in K-3 classrooms.
Meanwhile, Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton has attempted to criminalize gender-affirming care, labeling parental support of trans kids as “child abuse.” While Paxton’s opinion on the matter was not legally binding, Advocates for Youth has posted a great explainer to Instagram on how Governor Abbott’s ensuing statewide directive endangers trans youth. Basically, he required that all licensed professionals—such as doctors, nurses, and teachers—report such forms of “abuse” or face criminal penalties. And he called on the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and other agencies to investigate these cases.
There has since been an injunction to block these investigations, an injunction that will remain in effect through July.
But it’s impossible to ignore this war on trans youth and their families.
What does all of this mean for you?
If you are an LGBTQ+ parent, legislation like the “Don’t Say Gay” can make young children feel they aren’t free to talk about their families at school as other kids do. The dearth of inclusive reads and other learning materials already excludes children from various family structures. Bills like this one only regulate and exacerbate this exclusion.
If you have an LGBTQ+ child, the stigma and isolation they feel may be even more intense. Throughout our lifespans, questions about sexuality often revolve around whether or not we are “normal.” That fear of not being normal is especially powerful for kids who are still coming into their own, figuring out who they are. Legislation like this tells them that who they are is wrong.
If you are a trans youth who could benefit from gender-affirming care, the stakes are even higher. Studies show that gender affirmation positively affects transgender and nonbinary children, resulting in lower rates of suicidal ideation, depression, and self-harm.
If you and/or your children are cisgender and/or heterosexual, this news is still relevant to you. The things we learn when we’re young teach us how to relate to the people around us. Your kids deserve to learn about the folks around them in all their diversity, so that they can relate to them with love and openness and support.
On this day—the Transgender Day of Visibility—I encourage you to check out this post Scarleteen put together filled with resources for trans youth and their families.
I also implore you to search through the resource database on Guerrilla Sex Ed for books, websites, and more specific to LGBTQ+ issues.
And because I’m a regular contributor to Book Riot, I can’t help but share some book lists from my fellow contributors:
Because your kids deserve to see representations of themselves—and other folks—in the media they consume.
Last week, I mentioned to sex educator and researcher Emily Nagoski that it felt like the world was falling apart.
"It's getting better. I believe it's getting better," she said. "They can feel the pressure."
"The more progress we make," she said, "the harder the reaction will be."
So we are in the middle of a massive pushback to all the progress we’ve made. It’s time for us to push back harder.
Full Disclosure: Sex Ed in the News
The section above may have left you feeling exhausted, but I have more for you. ;) Here’s another read on people outlawing trans girls from sports.
Taking it back to Book Riot for just a moment, I loved this post on why sex in young adult books is absolutely age-appropriate.
The Guttmacher Institute has created a new resource for those interested in learning more about reproductive health statistics across the world. You can find their new country profiles here.
My Favorite New Sex Ed Resource
I mentioned EducateUS last month, because of the Sex Ed Week of Action they ran online.
But I wanted to shout out a new resource they’ve created for folks who want to take a more active role in fighting for more progressive sex ed in their school districts. May I present: “So You Want to Speak Up for Sex Education: A quickstart guide to speaking at school board meetings, public hearings, and more.” This 15-page document includes sections on best practices, sample messages, how to make your own message, and dealing with the opposition.