One Step Closer

The California Senate passed a bill Thursday requiring public schools to teach kids about the history of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people. If the bill makes it through the State Assembly and is signed by Governor Jerry Brown, that would mean California would be the first state that requires kids to learn about gay history. Possible consequences of the passing of this bill would include a decrease in the amount of gay kids killing themselves due to the bullying they're forced to endure and learn about important figures (i.e. Harvey Milk) and events that shape gay history.

The implementation of this bill is essential if society is ever going to overcome the frightening amount of homophobia that is STILL running rampant. Perhaps other less liberal states are a little more in need of the history lesson, but California is notorious for being the first to make drastic steps to become more progressive. Other states would be wise to follow suit. And the fact that there is opposition to this bill is exactly why it should be made law in the first place.

One easy way to see the negative, generally homophobic reactions to this bill is to check Yahoo! News comments. The same people who only get their news via the headlines they see when they check their email are the ones who leave comments such as these:

"Instead of teaching our kids sciences and math so they can compete in the global economy, we are gonna waste our time teaching them that it is OK to be gay." - SDJ

Because teaching kids that there's nothing wrong with being gay is somehow going to prevent them from competing in the global economy. Open-mindedness certainly wouldn't get them anywhere, right?

Or there's this little gem:

"California: Trying to indoctrinate your kids into homosexuality since 2011" - Jason

Indoctrinate? So since kids are also learning about African American history and Mexican American history, they may actually become African American or Mexican American? Does that mean when men learn about women's history...they may... TURN INTO WOMEN?!

"This is the begining of the end. Gays say they want tollerance for their sick and twisted lifestyle, but they demand100% acceptance, and they don't care if it's a forced acceptance brought upon by our morally corrupt politicians. Look, I don't care what two people do behind closed doors, but don't force me and my family to accept your disgusting sexual desires as normal." - Michael

How selfish and demanding for them gays to want to be accepted and not called "disgusting" or "sick and twisted!" This comment is evidence of the dire need for this bill to be passed. Unfortunately, anything this Michael fella ever learned in school clearly went in one ear and out the other, anyway. Looks like somebody didn't do too well on their third-grade spellings tests.

Read the comments on New York Magazine's version of the article and you'll see a greater number of positive, pro-equality responses to the bill. I think "ADRIAN_IN_DALLAS" says it best:

"All I can say is it's about damn time!"