Because Texas is ridiculous.
Apr. 2nd, 2011 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sadie_cocopuffThe Texas House approved a budget provision late Friday requiring state colleges and universities, if they use state funds to support "a gender and sexuality center," to spend an equal amount on a center promoting "family and traditional values."
While many members in the chamber cracked jokes and guffawed, the amendment's author, Rep. Wayne Christian, said the University of Texas, Texas A&M and "some other schools" have centers promoting "alternative sexual practices."
"I'm not treading on their rights to that, to teach alternative sexual behavior," said Christian, R-Center (right). But he said they must match it, dollar for dollar, with advocating heterosexual, "traditional values."
Christian's amendment speaks of any center "for students focused on gay, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, transsexual, transgender, gender questioning, or other gender identity issues."
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, asked, "What is a pansexual?"
Christian said if Castro would go to UT's or A&M's gender and sexuality centers, "they would teach you."
The vote on the amendment was 110-24.
This wasn't even on my radar, because seriously, who comes up with these things? It's such a false analogy. LGBT resource centers are there to raise awareness and acceptance of the existence of LGBT folks, to provide support to a group that often faces harassment and discrimination in everyday life, and to create a community for people who may have trouble finding others like them because we are prone to invisibility and marginalization in mainstream culture.
Now, think about how ridiculous that sounds if you try to translate it into a "family values" context:
The Family and Traditional Values center exists to raise awareness and acceptance of the existence of heterosexual, married couples with children. It provides support to straight couples and families, who often face harassment and discrimination in everyday life. It creates a community for heterosexuals, who are often marginalized and invisible in mainstream culture.
Really, guys? LGBT resource centers do not teach that being gay is better than being straight, or that being gender-nonconforming is better than fitting into a traditional gender role. A family and traditional values center, on the other hand, will no doubt teach exactly the opposite: that straight is inherently superior to gay, that women should be women and men should be men. An LGBT resource center does not exist to oppose the rights of heterosexuals; a traditional values center would probably consider one of its main goals to stall the progress of LGBT civil rights. Equating the two types of centers is comparing apples to rotten bananas, and is simply insulting.
While many members in the chamber cracked jokes and guffawed, the amendment's author, Rep. Wayne Christian, said the University of Texas, Texas A&M and "some other schools" have centers promoting "alternative sexual practices."
"I'm not treading on their rights to that, to teach alternative sexual behavior," said Christian, R-Center (right). But he said they must match it, dollar for dollar, with advocating heterosexual, "traditional values."
Christian's amendment speaks of any center "for students focused on gay, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, transsexual, transgender, gender questioning, or other gender identity issues."
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, asked, "What is a pansexual?"
Christian said if Castro would go to UT's or A&M's gender and sexuality centers, "they would teach you."
The vote on the amendment was 110-24.
This wasn't even on my radar, because seriously, who comes up with these things? It's such a false analogy. LGBT resource centers are there to raise awareness and acceptance of the existence of LGBT folks, to provide support to a group that often faces harassment and discrimination in everyday life, and to create a community for people who may have trouble finding others like them because we are prone to invisibility and marginalization in mainstream culture.
Now, think about how ridiculous that sounds if you try to translate it into a "family values" context:
The Family and Traditional Values center exists to raise awareness and acceptance of the existence of heterosexual, married couples with children. It provides support to straight couples and families, who often face harassment and discrimination in everyday life. It creates a community for heterosexuals, who are often marginalized and invisible in mainstream culture.
Really, guys? LGBT resource centers do not teach that being gay is better than being straight, or that being gender-nonconforming is better than fitting into a traditional gender role. A family and traditional values center, on the other hand, will no doubt teach exactly the opposite: that straight is inherently superior to gay, that women should be women and men should be men. An LGBT resource center does not exist to oppose the rights of heterosexuals; a traditional values center would probably consider one of its main goals to stall the progress of LGBT civil rights. Equating the two types of centers is comparing apples to rotten bananas, and is simply insulting.
