On The Vine: A scourge on trans identity
I am unambiguously Black, from the bridge of my nose to the kink in my hair — not to mention my sub-Saharan hue. Yet, from the time I was in second grade till I left public schools, the world outside of myself told me I spoke white, I didn’t act “Black,” made me feel that who I was — my identity — maneuvered some binary that society could not accept.
I struggled with that. I dealt with it (quietly) the only way I knew how: physical and emotional harm.
I bring this to you because that’s my identity experience. But I have no idea what it must be like to struggle within yourself, to have — from what I can see — a vociferous segment of society tell you who to be, who you are, and that any other way is evil despite a plea from within your soul to present who you are.
These experiences are not the same.
I struggle because this is a diversity newsletter, but the voice so often at the helm is mine. There’s a scourge on trans identity; trans people and I’m not the best person to address it, to share experience and demand understanding. Hell, maybe we’re past that point.
But I’m looking for voices to highlight here. If that’s you, hit me up.
“I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act,” Janet Mock writes in her memoir “Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More.”
“It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community. I hope that my being real with you will help empower you to step into who you are and encourage you to share yourself with those around you.”
Around the block
‘Protecting’ kids or ‘assault’ on teachers? Missouri House passes parents bill of rights
Earlier this week, the Missouri House passed House Bill No. 1858, which is meant to promote transparency in classrooms. It outlines a set of rights for parents to oversee their child’s education, including reviewing curriculum and visiting schools during school hours.
It’s otherwise known as a “parents bill of rights,” and it’s controversial to say the least.
The Star’s Kacen Bayless reports:
“We need to teach kids how to think, not what to think,” said bill sponsor Rep. Ben Baker, a Neosho Republican. “We need to encourage parent involvement and not discourage it. This is about protecting our kids in schools.”
But the bill, which echoes similar proposals in states like Kansas, Arizona and Florida, has been criticized by Democrats and public school advocates, who say it both grants rights that already exist and puts new burdens on teachers.
Opponents say the bill, and others that deal with curriculum, seek only to exploit anger over hot-button issues like COVID-19 restrictions and teachings on race and gender issues.
Peter Merideth, a St. Louis Democrat, on Tuesday called the bill an “outright assault” on public school teachers. The bill is part of a national strategy intended to weaken the state’s public school systems, he said...
Mike Stephens, a Bolivar Republican who voted against the bill, said he was “deeply afraid” that some of its language would harm schools. He specifically pointed to a line that said parents had the right to “direct the education of their minor child.”
“Words matter and words have power,” he said. “And these words go beyond what should have been intended in this bill.”
More from The Star...
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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoes ban on transgender athletes, parents’ ‘bill of rights’
Johnathan Shorman and Katie Bernard report for The Star:
Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a proposal on Friday that would have banned transgender athletes from girls sports and another that would have required schools to let parents challenge classroom curriculum — a measure she has called a “teacher demoralization act.”...
“We all want a fair and safe place for our kids to play and compete. However, this bill didn’t come from the experts at our schools, our athletes, or the Kansas State High School Activities Association. It came from politicians trying to score political points,” Kelly said.
Republican lawmakers have said transgender women have an unfair advantage over cisgender women in athletics.
The parent’s bill of rights was about “politics, not parents,” Kelly said. More than 100 parents testified against the legislation, she noted, saying that it would create more division in schools and suggested the measure would end up in court. “Money that should be spent in the classroom would end up being spent in the courtroom,” she said.
Beyond the block
Meet the woman behind Libs of TikTok, secretly fueling the right’s outrage machine
There is a ton of controversy surrounding this piece. Mainly the conversation has delved into the journalism behind the piece, which I don’t see a need to get into. What’s interesting is the content and the ideas explored.
Libs of TikTok is an anonymous Twitter account that shares and criticizes progressive advocacy — particularly when it comes to LGBTQ rights and identity — and has amassed a sizable and substantial following that propels the voice of its private user to the most powerful platforms in right-wing media.
In this piece, journalist Taylor Lorenz details the person and beliefs behind the account that has become such a force.
Technology and online culture columnist for The Washington Post, Lorenz, writes:
The anonymous account’s impact is deep and far-reaching. Its content is amplified by high-profile media figures, politicians and right-wing influencers. Its tweets reach millions, with influence spreading far beyond its more than 648,000 Twitter followers. Libs of TikTok has become an agenda-setter in right-wing online discourse, and the content it surfaces shows a direct correlation with the recent push in legislation and rhetoric directly targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
“Libs of TikTok is basically acting as a wire service for the broader right-wing media ecosystem,” said Ari Drennen, LGBTQ program director for Media Matters, the progressive media watchdog group. “It’s been shaping public policy in a real way, and affecting teachers’ ability to feel safe in their classrooms.”...
By March, Libs of TikTok was directly impacting legislation. DeSantis’s press secretary Christina Pushaw credited the account with “opening her eyes” and informing her views on the state’s restrictive legislation that bans discussion of sexuality or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, referred to by critics as the “don’t say gay” bill. She and Libs of TikTok have interacted with each other at least 138 times publicly, according to a report by Media Matters. When asked by The Post about her relationship with the account, Pushaw wrote, “I follow, like and retweet libsoftiktok. My interactions with that account are public,” and added that she’s a strong supporter of its mission.
As the legislation progressed before eventually being signed into law on March 28, Libs of TikTok ramped up attacks, flooding its feed with accusations of “grooming.” The right-wing media and influential conservative figureheads used anti-LGBTQ content from Libs of TikTok as fuel for their arguments.
Read while you’re here...
Texas Youth Gender Clinic Closed Last Year Under Political Pressure
Florida rejects 41% of new math textbooks, citing critical race theory among its reasons
For a Black Man Hired to Undo a Confederate Legacy, It Has Not Been Easy
Kendrick Lamar Announces New Album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
See ya!
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This story was originally published April 21, 2022 at 1:45 PM.
