We as members of the larger LGBTQ community are living in dangerous times. Prepare for the McCarthy era "Lavender Scare" all over again. The republicans in congress are proposing insidious bills to make us and our authentic lives illegal once again. Even if this bill does not pass, the animus behind it is palpable and real. These haters are NOT going away and they will not stop their hateful rhetoric and attempts to make LGBTQ lives a living hell.
Thanks to Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters for the alert:
Be aware that Congressperson Mike Johnson (La.) has/or will introduce a bill that is so broad as to make any LGBTQ discussion, dipiction or activity illegal. The definition of "sexually oriented material" (see highlighted) is all encompassing. This bill is ostensibly aimed at "drag queens" reading to children in public libraries, but is really a version of the Russian anti-LGBTQ law that has terrorized people in Russia and Chechnya.
I'm not sure if congressperson Johnson is aware that his bill can be used to target and repress heterosexuals as well as LGBTQs, but, while not its intent, it can perhaps be turned against them as well.
From Holy Bullies Blog: "Alejandra Caraballo, clinical instructor at the Harvard Law
Cyberlaw Clinic, breaks down the damage Johnson's bill can do in a
Twitter thread. According to her, should Johnson's bill become law:
"Universities,
public schools, hospitals, medical clinics, etc. could all be defunded
if they host any event discussing LGBTQ people and children could be
present. The way they define "sexually oriented material" simply
includes anything about LGBTQ people...
I
can't overstate how radical the private right of action portion is. The
bill is so broadly defined that a pediatric hospital could be sued for
having a pride flag or a medical pamphlet about gender dysphoria. It
deputizes anti-LGBTQ bigots to engage in bounty lawsuits."
These are the Co-sponsors of the bill:
