Opinions
Why we’re fighting our school’s internet ban in Texas
Blocking access to mental health resources is oppressive
From my first days as a freshman at high school in Katy, a town in suburban Houston, it was obvious that school administrators have little concern for queer students. Despite their responsibility to create an educational environment conducive to all students, it was apparent they would do little to address everyday problems like bullying and slurs. And for students hoping to find affirmation from online resources, there was a block on that content due to an “Alternative Sexual Lifestyles (GLBT)” internet filter.
This undeniably discriminatory policy remains in place today. Students struggling with their gender identity or sexuality rely on accessible internet content. For many students, that private and free access is only available at school, and denying such access is a deliberate effort to prevent students from supporting their emotional and mental well-being.
For the Katy Independent School District, and other school districts, to block the Trevor Project is especially dangerous. When a student is experiencing a mental health crisis, the ability to speak with someone on a suicide prevention lifeline is a matter of life or death.
Katy ISD claims that the Trevor Project must be blocked to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, a federal law primarily intended to protect children from online predators. District officials say the websiteās “chat capabilities” ā no different than those on Facebook or Twitter ā are the specific reason for the restricted access. However, Facebook and Twitter are completely accessible. The assumption that people communicating on the Trevor Project are predatory is bigoted and homophobic, just as itās more important to a student to offer life-saving support than to provide a portal to all the misinformation and hatred about queer people being propagated on major social media sites.
School officials have said sites with LGBTQ+ content are not part of the educational curriculum or common classroom activities. Yet they wonāt explain how People magazine, ESPN, Gun Show Trader, or Breitbart meet this same standard. These officials have also noted that suicide prevention resources exist outside of the Trevor Project, which is true, but irrelevant. If district officials are concerned a student is contemplating taking their own life, those officials would offer access to all resources ā without exception ā that might prevent a teen suicide.
Since June 2021, my classmates and I have been organizing to bring attention to the discriminatory actions by school districts like mine. We started an online petition that has gathered support from more than 1,000 community members. We have spoken at school board meetings and met with district officials who promised us they would unblock LGBTQ+ content. So far, they have only delivered us broken promises.
Given the ways that school administrators have chosen to implement the districtās internet policies, itās clear to us that we are not seen in the same way as other students. To Katy ISD officials, our very existence is so inherently perverse that they would simply erase us. Their message is that we ourselves, and our experiences, are neither āeducationalā nor āappropriate.ā Blocking access to resources that support our mental health and intellectual development simply because we dare to accept who we are at this age is the definition of oppression. We recognize that they have specifically targeted us in an attempt to undermine our confidence.
Adolescence is a critical time for developing a healthy self-awareness. While legal equality for LGBTQ+ people has become more widespread over the past few decades, genuine tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion of our community has not. There are harmful consequences for youth who lack just one supportive friend, who are deathly afraid to come out, and who feel completely alone and isolated by the identity that defines them. LGBTQ+ students deserve dignity and support for our own well being as much as any other student in this country. We have the basic human right to develop self-esteem and be welcomed in a diverse society. We expect the public schools we attend every day to see us as human beings and not a political inconvenience.
There is no doubt the culture war in Texas is being waged against its own children, and we who are negatively impacted by the hateful policies of fanatical political leaders cannot be abstracted or disregarded. We demand to be seen and heard. The Lone Star State is a place of increasing ethnic and cultural diversity where we will continue to stand up for ourselves and for one another. Weāre fighting back because weāre Texans and thatās what we do.
Cameron Samuels (they/them) is a senior in the Texas Katy Independent School District.
Opinions
Unfair attacks on Springfield Haitians recall our disturbing past
Political rhetoric feeds a system of harm that destroys lives
By Dwayne Steward
I am equal parts amazed and baffled by how often history repeats itself in this country.
As I watched the viral popularity of the āeating cats and dogsā moment explode across the globe following the presidential debates on Sept. 10, I couldnāt help but be reminded that this isnāt the first time the American political system has unfairly and inaccurately sacrificed the Haitian community at the altar of political fodder.
In 1982, just a year after the first scientific article was published identifying the AIDS virus, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention named the ā4-Hāsā as the leading at-risk communities for HIV transmission: āHaitians, Hemophiliacs, Homosexuals and Heroin addicts.ā Today the CDC would consider most of these terms culturally inappropriate and would definitely defy anyone labeling an entire racial demographic as a danger to the community for infectious disease transmission.
However, the damage was done. Many politicians, including President Ronald Reagan, were quoted using the ā4-Hāsā as a tool to perpetuate the misconception that HIV was only affecting a flawed minority. These four profiles for HIV transmission seeped deep into the American consciousness. Rampant discrimination and stigma continues to haunt immigrants of the Black Diaspora, LGBTQ communities and people who use drugs, to this day.
J.D. Vance has mentioned several times to the press that the immigrants āflooding into Springfieldā are increasing HIV cases in the area,Ā despite there being no epidemiological data from local or state public health entities to back his claims.Ā
Now, reports of bomb threats and ongoing safety concerns for Haitian people continue to dominate headlines. This rhetoric not only creates dangerous environments for the affected communities, but it also continues to support the codifying of laws that criminalize marginalized communities.
Earlier this year, Equality Ohio released aĀ groundbreaking reportĀ in partnership with the Ohio Modernization Movement that showed more than 200 Ohioans between 2014 and 2020 were charged under laws aimed at criminalizing people who are living with HIV or AIDS. A startling 35% of these cases were filed against people who identified as Black, and nearly 1 in 3 were Black men.
Currently there are six laws in Ohio that criminalize HIV using outdated and disproven information that hasnāt been used by the medical field since the early 1990s. Yet, these laws are still being used to over-police and incarcerate marginalized communities.
Political rhetoric doesnāt just feed viral internet entertainment, it also feeds a system of harm that destroys lives and separates families. We should expect more from our public officials. Haitians, and all immigrants, should not have to live in fear because of the old, hateful propaganda spread by the people who should be representing us. Unless or until that changes, we can fight for change in ways large and small ā even by thinking twice about the next meme we share.
Dwayne Steward is executive director of Equality Ohio. He previouslyĀ served as the director of Inclusive Excellence, Belonging & Accessibility at OSU Wexner Medical Center, and has been published in various publications on the topics of racial justice, sexual health, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
Commentary
To West Africa with love
Thoughts on Ghanaian tradition, queerness, and Western imperialism
You may know by now that Ghanaās parliament has just passed one of the harshest laws against its LGBTQ citizens in West Africa. Many advocates, activists, LGBTQ people, and allies are still trying to process why and how this happened.
During this announcement a person Iām closely tied to was in Juaben, Ghana.
They were celebrating the life and passing of their grandmother, who happens to be a Queen Mother (Juabenhemaa) of the Asante Kingdom in Ghana. It was an elaborate two week traditional ceremony with both private and public events and was attended by thousands as well as the whoās who in Ghana including President Nana Akufo Addo himself.
As a history major, a cultural enthusiast and Afro-futurist, I was excited to have first hand accounts with photos and videos of all the ceremonies and to see beautiful Ghanaian royalty and people in their decorated clothes, dress, dance, and tradition. While at the same time supporting my loved one virtually.
About four days into the two week ceremony, my person in Ghana texted me about a male dancer wearing traditional womenās clothes, wearing makeup with a stuffed buttocks. They found it intriguing and was eager to share with me. In this traditional space, it was normalized and the cultural dancer continued to even dance with other men at the ceremony.
They reported to me that some of the young anti-LGBTQ Ghanian Americans at the ceremony were disgusted and confused. One remarked āWhat? Is this ‘Drag Race now?ā as the colorfully dressed person continued to skillfully dance their traditional dance in honor of the Asante Queen Mother.Ā
Four days later the anti-LGBTQ law passed through the parliament of Ghana, devastating LGBTQ Ghanians, advocates, allies, and diaspora.
The bill now awaits the presidentās signature to be enacted.
As I read through the 36-page long document called Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill of 2021, the basis document for this legislation, it includes repetitive emphasis of resistance to foreign imposition and the maintenance of Ghanaian values, culture, sovereignty, and independence and rejection of homosexuality. The document is a combination of the efforts of various groups including Christian organizations, Muslim organizations, family rights organizations, and the traditional chiefs of Ghana.
I found it interesting that there was but one paragraph that mentioned the importance of protecting the lives of LGBTQ people. Can you guess which one group (Christian organizations, Muslim organizations, Family rights organizations and the traditional chiefs of Ghana) was solely appealing to protect the lives of LGBTQ people in the bill?Ā
The National House of Chiefs, the group most steeped in Ghanaian historical and cultural tradition, made some attempt within the document to shield the lives of LGBTQ people from harm.
Time and time again, advocates have purported that it is indeed the hatred of queer people that is an imposition. Yet they are Christian and family value organizations funded by the right wing organizations that claim to protect local culture and values but instead create divisions that threaten the livelihoods of their Ghanaian queer families.
It begs the question, What is so western about LGBTQ people?
If we are being completely honest, the language, culture and framework is certainly western.
The expression of self was never demonized in many now erased cultures across the world but the idea and framework of queerness today is.
The LGBTQ movement is largely a western movement and culture. From the rainbow flag to its terminology. Today LGBTQ/queer is the language we use universally to describe people whose self and sexual expression is not mainstream.
During colonization, many cultural indigenous traditions were lost including the language we used to identify our family and communities. It was then replaced with Christianity used as a tool to control and restrict ā as it continues to do so today.
Indigenous Native Americans are fortunate to have retained their language and some of their culture. Their language of two-spirit makes room culturally for those Indigenous people we would call queer today.
There are countless examples of cultures within West African traditions and culture that have celebrated and have space and language for their ātwo-spiritā people as described by the Native Americans or their āDagaraā people as described by people from the Ghanaian neighboring country Burkina Faso.
That said, as a result of our erased cultures today, LGBTQ/queer is the language and culture we have globally adopted – obviously to the ire of those who donāt quite understand their own culture.
Regardless of language, culture or foreign imposition, there is no excuse for the hatred, exclusion, and persecution of any group of people ā period.
From Uganda in East Africa, Ghana, West Africa to St. Vincent in the Eastern Caribbean the sentiment remains the same where there seems to be a confusion around cultural identity and the clutching onto an idea of sovereignty in efforts to continue to resist years of colonial oppression, imposition, and trauma.
We havenāt even begun to discuss how Christianity, another colonial tool, has culturally divided us and has our societal progress in a chokehold.
However, as a futurist, it is not helpful to remain in a place of blame, anger and self pity ā it gets us nowhere. This is the hand that we have been dealt and we must work in various ways to build up our businesses and to nurture and grow families, communities, and our people.
And so I offer this piece to the brave advocates across various post colonial landscapes ā draw close to the cultures and identities from whence you came. Activists like Lady Phyll and Alex Kofi Donor have remained entrenched within their cultural tradition signifying that being queer identifying people and being African in identity and culture arenāt mutually exclusive.
We ought to be bold in addressing and working with external groups ā the extremely tough and dangerous part of advocacy ā entering churches, parliaments, universities, and being visible and contributing citizens not only within local queer communities but outside of the silos and enclaves of our safe spaces. That visibility puts a human face and personality to our cause. We must be our own politicians. Building real relationships with folks who we may not always agree with but who we may see eye to eye with on other issues. Start showing up for other marginalized groups besides our own.
And perhaps Iām blinded by the context of the advocacy done in little Barbados, perhaps itās a safer place these days, an easier place to exercise this level of visibility … maybe.
What I do know is that we need to employ thoughtful strategy to our advocacy efforts because it was the strategy of the colonial powers that got us in this situation in the first place.
And it will be our understanding of our own people and the application of strategic thinking that will get us out.
Opinions
10 reminders of why we must vote for Harris
A strong LGBTQ turnout could swing election in key states
There are a million reasons to vote for Kamala Harris over Donald Trump but here are 10 of the best. If youāre not feeling the burn about casting your ballot, please remember just how close our last two elections were and how dire the 2016 consequences for the country. Indeed, a strong turnout by LGBTQ and allied voters could prove decisive in some key states.
So letās review 10 reasons why itās not only important ā but essential ā that all LGBTQ and allied voters show up to vote for Kamala Harris.
#10 The opportunity to make history. For the second time in 16 years, America has the exciting chance to make a historic choice for the White House. Kamala Harris would be the first woman and first woman of color to serve as president if elected. Itās not the #1 reason to vote for her but itās a pretty damn good ancillary benefit.
#9 The chance to send Trump into oblivion. After eight long years of commanding endless mainstream media attention for his ever-expanding list of racist, sexist, xenophobic, and transphobic attacks, we have the chance to finally dispatch ourselves of the toxic Trump. Heās insulted everyone from Gold Star families and the disabled to Meryl Streep and Rosie OāDonnell. That thereās anyone left willing to vote for him is mindboggling. (Iām talking to you Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz.) Imagine how much our collective blood pressure will ease without having to endure wall-to-wall coverage of his every social media post. āMorning Joeā will be hard pressed to continue without Trump to mock but itās a sacrifice Iām willing to make.
#8 To preserve trans military service. In his first term, Trump tweeted that trans people were barred from serving their country āin any capacity.ā It was a cruel stunt that damaged careers and led to a direct uptick in hate crimes targeting the trans community. Thereās no doubt he would reinstate that ban on day one. Itās ironic that Trump goes after brave members of the military given his own ābone spurā excuse to avoid Vietnam. None of his kids has served either, of course. Trump has referred to dead service members as ālosersā and āsuckers.ā That comment alone ā corroborated by his chief of staff John Kelly ā should be disqualifying.
#7 To continue growing the economy. Iāve never understood all the naysayers who complain about the U.S. economy, which is envied the world over. No other country emerged from COVID as strong as we did, defying all expert predictions of recession ā record stock market numbers, record employment, rapidly declining inflation and interest rates. The Democrats have never been good at messaging and itās frustrating that they allow Trump to talk down our economy at every rally without a coherent response. The truth is our economy is strong and Harrisās plans to tax the wealthiest and invest in small businesses has been endorsed by leading economists over Trumpās ridiculous and doomed idea of starting a trade war with China over tariffs. The LGBTQ community is disproportionally entrepreneurial, so Harrisās tax benefits for small business owners will boost us tremendously.
#6 To aid Ukraine. The Blade has traveled to Poland and other Eastern European countries to cover the plight of LGBTQ migrants fleeing Ukraine after Russiaās invasion. Their stories are heartbreaking. We have an obligation to stand by Ukraine along with Western Europe to stop the murderous Putin and preserve democracy. Trump will cave to Putinās demands that he be allowed to annex large swaths of Ukrainian territory, emboldening the Russian dictator and encouraging further incursions into other neighboring countries.
#5 To stop Project 2025 in its tracks. We have documented the anti-LGBTQ horrors that await us if Project 2025 becomes the governing blueprint for a second Trump administration. The assaults are too many to recap here so just remember these lines from the document: āThe next conservative President must make the institutions of American civil society hard targets for woke culture warriors. This starts with deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion, gender, gender equality, gender awareness, gender-sensitiveā¦.out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contracts, grant regulation and piece of legislation that exists.ā
#4 To protect a womanās right to control her body. Predictably, women are now dying as a result of Trumpās abortion bans, as reported by ProPublica. And it will only get worse if Trump is re-elected and his congressional allies push through a national abortion ban as theyāve promised to do. If you think this isnāt about you, consider that Roe v. Wade provided the foundation for the Obergefell marriage ruling, which Justices Alito and Thomas have already said should be revisited.
#3 Supreme Court. Speaking of the high court, there is credible speculation that if Trump wins, Alito and Thomas will be pressured to retire, giving Trump an unprecedented five picks and a MAGA majority. Thatās game over for a generation and the end of Obergefell marriage equality, Lawrence privacy rights, and more.
#2 To preserve and advance LGBTQ equality. The last 20 years have brought unimaginable progress for LGBTQ rights, from marriage equality to the end of āDonāt Ask, Donāt Tellā to Bostockās conferring employment protections to most of us, and so much more. Thereās more to do, especially given the anti-LGBTQ state laws passed around the country giving rise to book bans, bathroom bans, and dangerous anti-trans healthcare restrictions. A Trump presidency jeopardizes all of our recent gains and puts us back on defense. A Harris presidency ensures we continue to move ahead and gives us a chance to undo some of the recent setbacks.
#1 To defend democracy. Trump and J.D. Vance whine a lot about criticism that they are undermining democracy, claiming these accusations are to blame for two recent assassination attempts. For someone who trafficks in violent rhetoric all the time, itās a brazen and hypocritical claim. Thereās an old saying about living by the sword that Trump should Google. But itās not hyperbole to suggest that a Trump presidency would represent the end of democracy. Heās already incited an insurrection after badly losing the 2020 election. Trump and Project 2025 promise to gut the federal government, lock up critics and journalists, allow Putin to do āwhatever the hell he wants,ā privatize critical government functions, ban books and DEI, and even to ban pornography. The list goes on. Yes, itās the end of American democracy if he wins.
But this election isnāt just about rejecting Trump. Itās also about embracing the promise of a Harris administration, which would bolster the economy, respect human rights, fight for equality, combat climate change, fix the border, advance gun reform, and promote many other common sense, centrist policies supported by a majority of Americans.
There you have it, a succinct reminder of whatās at stake on Nov. 5. So vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and send a message that character still matters, that America remains a trusted defender of human rights, and that we wonāt let a dangerous convicted felon anywhere near the Oval Office again.
Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at [email protected].
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