I've told these stories before, so I won't go into a lot of detail.
I came out as gay 52 years ago, though I had known since I was a small child. My parents never accepted it, although they did make a few half-assed efforts in that direction. After years of trying to have a decent relationship with them, I finally gave up. Eventually, I realized that their inability to deal with their gay son--actually TWO gay sons, but that's another story-- was the symptom. The problem was our whole relationship. My life was a lot better without them in it, and now that I am in my last years--give me another 15 or 20 as long as my health remains good-- I have zero regrets that they weren't there. They weren't there that much when they WERE there.
When my father died 40 years ago, he had a rental rabbi and a few relatives show up for his funeral. When my mother died 23 years ago, I think there was just my sister, and possibly a rental Rabbi. I don't know, because I didn't go.
This is what these parents are setting up for themselves. I tried for years to communicate with my parents, and they simply refused to learn anything, challenge their prejudices, become better people than they were. Assuming this child survives and is not a total mess because of it, they may well find, as my parents did, that their attitude will never make their child sorry that he is transgender, but it will certainly make him sorry that they are his parents.
This is just one example of this kind of behavior happening, and we know it's happening elsewhere without media coverage shining a light on the bigotry and intolerance. I feel so deeply for the kid caught in the middle of this. When he grows up and leaves home, I hope he finds a community who love and respect him like his teachers and school staff do.
With conservative religionists of all stripes, going by the rules, as defined by their religion, is far more important than doing the humane and decent thing. I doubt this boy will ever have a relationship with his parents, and he will likely be better off for it. Parents aren't the only people with rights. At some point the child has rights too, and one of them is to not be abused. Religion can be used to justify any horror.
The school did the right thing. I don’t understand how the parents were harmed except that their ability to muck up their son’s life was delayed. I feel sorry for him.
I don’t see what harm the parents suffered by having the teachers call the student by their preferred name. This is a performance by the parents to show how their “Christian values” are being thwarted and not about what’s good for their child. Knowing what I know about having a trans child, I worry for F in that home.
From what I can see, this lawsuit is complete horseshit, will likely result in a summary judgment for the school, and will mainly serve as a fundraising device for these theofascists. But in deep red states, it is a different story because the theofascists control the government and are imposing legal obligations on schools to narc on their students.
There is an almost identical case in Florida. Of course, DeSantis has ensured that parental rights do not extend to directing the medical care of your children according to medical science.
These people seem to think that gender incongruence will simply vanish if it is ignored. Trans kids thrive with parental support of their gender identity. If that support is withheld, they suffer. Moreover, according to research out of Harvard, any exposure to gender identity conversion "therapy" results in "lifelong adverse mental health consequences."
It should be noted that, according to the SPLC, Alliance Defending Freedom is a hate group.
The Alliance Defending Freedom is so transparently (no pun intended but yeah I see it) only interested in their freedom to impose their hate on the rest of us, and punishing not only their own children but limiting the freedom of those of us who don't want to be hateful, harmful monsters to children to help those children. They really HATE freedom. They just want the freedom to HATE.
If your kid went to school and insisted they be called Peggy instead of Margaret and a teacher did that anyway the parent would be upset. That's why my grandmother brought my aunt Peggy's actual birth certificate in to show that teacher. But that should not have been necessary. If my aunt wanted to be called Peg instead then that is what she should have been called. What is on the birth certificate does not matter. Many, many of the people I knew in high school went by their middle names or a shortened version of their name. Some of them I would find out were called something else when they are at home. My own father was called 'Junior' by everyone in his family but NOWHERE else has anyone referred to him this way. When a kid is insisting on a particular name the right thing for the teachers and staff in the school to do is to refer to them by that name, no matter what they are called at home. If the people at the school called my dad Junior he might have gotten upset. The school did exactly what they should. I only hope the courts not only agree but send CPS to investigate that house.
I don't know about [F] Mead's personal feelings but I would take a flying guess that he just let it go when they were at home because he already knew how insane his parents are. All while trying to just get by until he turns 18 and can get away from the BatS.
Not surprised at all. Remember when my oldest sister and her hubby became full blown Jesusbots endlessly pushing their right wing Jesus crap on their school board. End result--their kids wound up all dysfunctional...
When I taught high school many many years ago, I was always very careful if I had to punish a particular kid, because if his parents found out about it his dad would beat him with a spanner. Kid kept falling asleep in class because parents took him to church services which lasted until 3 o'clock in the morning. Sigh.
Teachers have an obligation to protect children – even from parents. Perhaps especially from parents.
Ok. So where in all of Jesus' teachings does it say to hate trans along with gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and other sexual orientations than just straight and cis?
The real answer is "Nowhere." Any Christian parent knows this along with the fact that Jesus said "Love one another" and "love your neighbor as yourself." Why can't these bigoted parents act upon this?
I've told these stories before, so I won't go into a lot of detail.
I came out as gay 52 years ago, though I had known since I was a small child. My parents never accepted it, although they did make a few half-assed efforts in that direction. After years of trying to have a decent relationship with them, I finally gave up. Eventually, I realized that their inability to deal with their gay son--actually TWO gay sons, but that's another story-- was the symptom. The problem was our whole relationship. My life was a lot better without them in it, and now that I am in my last years--give me another 15 or 20 as long as my health remains good-- I have zero regrets that they weren't there. They weren't there that much when they WERE there.
When my father died 40 years ago, he had a rental rabbi and a few relatives show up for his funeral. When my mother died 23 years ago, I think there was just my sister, and possibly a rental Rabbi. I don't know, because I didn't go.
This is what these parents are setting up for themselves. I tried for years to communicate with my parents, and they simply refused to learn anything, challenge their prejudices, become better people than they were. Assuming this child survives and is not a total mess because of it, they may well find, as my parents did, that their attitude will never make their child sorry that he is transgender, but it will certainly make him sorry that they are his parents.
And isn't that just too sad?
This is just one example of this kind of behavior happening, and we know it's happening elsewhere without media coverage shining a light on the bigotry and intolerance. I feel so deeply for the kid caught in the middle of this. When he grows up and leaves home, I hope he finds a community who love and respect him like his teachers and school staff do.
With conservative religionists of all stripes, going by the rules, as defined by their religion, is far more important than doing the humane and decent thing. I doubt this boy will ever have a relationship with his parents, and he will likely be better off for it. Parents aren't the only people with rights. At some point the child has rights too, and one of them is to not be abused. Religion can be used to justify any horror.
The school did the right thing. I don’t understand how the parents were harmed except that their ability to muck up their son’s life was delayed. I feel sorry for him.
Oh my, what a way to treat your own kid. I hope the kid has someone safe to run to if it is needed.
I don’t see what harm the parents suffered by having the teachers call the student by their preferred name. This is a performance by the parents to show how their “Christian values” are being thwarted and not about what’s good for their child. Knowing what I know about having a trans child, I worry for F in that home.
From what I can see, this lawsuit is complete horseshit, will likely result in a summary judgment for the school, and will mainly serve as a fundraising device for these theofascists. But in deep red states, it is a different story because the theofascists control the government and are imposing legal obligations on schools to narc on their students.
Dark times.
There is an almost identical case in Florida. Of course, DeSantis has ensured that parental rights do not extend to directing the medical care of your children according to medical science.
These people seem to think that gender incongruence will simply vanish if it is ignored. Trans kids thrive with parental support of their gender identity. If that support is withheld, they suffer. Moreover, according to research out of Harvard, any exposure to gender identity conversion "therapy" results in "lifelong adverse mental health consequences."
It should be noted that, according to the SPLC, Alliance Defending Freedom is a hate group.
The Alliance Defending Freedom is so transparently (no pun intended but yeah I see it) only interested in their freedom to impose their hate on the rest of us, and punishing not only their own children but limiting the freedom of those of us who don't want to be hateful, harmful monsters to children to help those children. They really HATE freedom. They just want the freedom to HATE.
If your kid went to school and insisted they be called Peggy instead of Margaret and a teacher did that anyway the parent would be upset. That's why my grandmother brought my aunt Peggy's actual birth certificate in to show that teacher. But that should not have been necessary. If my aunt wanted to be called Peg instead then that is what she should have been called. What is on the birth certificate does not matter. Many, many of the people I knew in high school went by their middle names or a shortened version of their name. Some of them I would find out were called something else when they are at home. My own father was called 'Junior' by everyone in his family but NOWHERE else has anyone referred to him this way. When a kid is insisting on a particular name the right thing for the teachers and staff in the school to do is to refer to them by that name, no matter what they are called at home. If the people at the school called my dad Junior he might have gotten upset. The school did exactly what they should. I only hope the courts not only agree but send CPS to investigate that house.
I don't know about [F] Mead's personal feelings but I would take a flying guess that he just let it go when they were at home because he already knew how insane his parents are. All while trying to just get by until he turns 18 and can get away from the BatS.
Not surprised at all. Remember when my oldest sister and her hubby became full blown Jesusbots endlessly pushing their right wing Jesus crap on their school board. End result--their kids wound up all dysfunctional...
Don't want to use the right name/pronouns, mommy? Then instead of referring to you as Jennifer, I guess we can call you Brace Face or Tinsel Teeth.
How's it taste?
When I taught high school many many years ago, I was always very careful if I had to punish a particular kid, because if his parents found out about it his dad would beat him with a spanner. Kid kept falling asleep in class because parents took him to church services which lasted until 3 o'clock in the morning. Sigh.
Teachers have an obligation to protect children – even from parents. Perhaps especially from parents.
Ok. So where in all of Jesus' teachings does it say to hate trans along with gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and other sexual orientations than just straight and cis?
The real answer is "Nowhere." Any Christian parent knows this along with the fact that Jesus said "Love one another" and "love your neighbor as yourself." Why can't these bigoted parents act upon this?
Parents are consistently the worst possible choice to decide how kids are educated.
Happy Festivus everyone! I see the Airing of Grievances has started.