Missouri 'Don't Say Gay' Bill Advances

A bill in Missouri meant to eliminate any mention of sexual orientation in the state's public schools advanced to committee on Thursday after a first reading.

The brief wording of HB 2051 gets right to the point:

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.

The Vital Voice notes that apart from being a direct move to squelch discussion of gay issues and sexuality, the bill would "keep Gay-Straight Alliances from meeting on school grounds as approved extracurricular entities."

The legislation, sponsored by GOP state Rep. Steve Cookson and co-sponsored by 19 other Republican lawmakers -- including the House Majority Leader Tim Jones, who has birther ties -- will next be discussed in the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

Missouri isn't the only state to push a so-called "don't say gay" bill. Tennessee advanced a similar bill through multiple votes last year, drawing national mockery, as well as opposition from their Republican governor, Bill Haslam. Despite that legislation's failure, however, Tennessee lawmakers reproduced a new bill this session, which was approved by the state House earlier this week.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[kcwookie]

02:36 PM on 05/01/2012

I guess that Missouri has plenty of job, the economy is great, and things are all fixed. Unfortunately, that's not the Missouri I know, but conservatives are all about fiction instead of fact.

[ProudMember-VRWC]

08:17 AM on 04/24/2012

Stick to the 3 Rs in public schools. Today's kids can't reed, they can't rite and they can't do 'rithmetic. (Misspellings on purpose.)

If schools spent more time teaching them the basics they wouldn't have time to get into all the various cultural stuff - sex, religion, politics, etc. Leave that to the parents.

[Demarcus Jackson]

12:45 AM on 04/24/2012

Breaking News: Gays exist! ...and no amount of suppression and oppression will stop Gays from existing.

I'm dealing with Tennessee's anti-gay "Don't Say Gay" bill. Republicans are hateful bigots with nothing better to do than force their on insecurities and religious extremism on lawful citizens who just want their existence to be acknowledged and accepted.

[Zariana]

12:57 PM on 04/23/2012

I wonder how they are going to teach biology.

Somebody had better point out to these 19 GOP co-sponsors that (straight) animals reproduce through sexual activity, which is not excluded from the gag rule. Geniuses.

[NickaRay]

11:01 AM on 04/23/2012

Good job, I hope it passes.

[FantasticFourFan]

11:29 AM on 04/23/2012

That's because you're a hate monger.

[Blaze Burton]

01:46 PM on 04/23/2012

I am sooo thankful you pulled your head out of the sand for that comment, you can put it back now, although ive heard cement would work better. Id even be willing to mix it for you

[PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS]

10:45 AM on 04/23/2012

These hatefilled scum are so in panic mood that virtually every poll now shows a majority support Gay marriage they are attempting every disgusting move they can conjur up to try and simply make Gay go away................

To those of us who are sane and on the correct and believe it or not side their God would approve of take solance in the fact that within a decade their campaigns will useless and when they finally do meet their God they will be informed they have actually led a non christian life and are not entitled to enter the gates of heaven........................

[Atwill]

10:51 AM on 04/23/2012

If there is a heaven there will be no straight/ gay/ chrisitan/ black/ jew/ or whatever like there on Earth. Just people. And not even that, We will probably NOT even look like this, if we can even be seen. for all we know our spirit might be a wiff of smoke. Or a thought floating in space.

[sf1000000]

11:12 PM on 04/22/2012

Just like the Hitler and the Nazi's...the GOP's desire is to ERASE GAYS...to Wipe us out of every book..having not been able to stop our acceptance by the public now they seek to ban us even from School..

I think they tried this with teen pregancies too...iF we just don't talk about sex..teens won't have it and the problem is solved...Nancy tried this too with Drugs..just say NO remember? Gosh...
I think it's time we just say NO TO THE GOP and ban them !!

[bb42495]

08:44 PM on 04/22/2012

A discriminatory bill is going through Louisiana legislation right now! please sign to fight for equality!
http://www.change.org/petitions/louisiana-legislator-stop-sb-217-allows-la-charter-schools-to-discrimate

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:17 PM on 04/22/2012

Just signed. This discrimination crap is getting very tiring in this country.

[AtlantaBluebelle]

10:04 PM on 04/22/2012

You got it.

[FabulousPoodle]

06:19 PM on 04/22/2012

We bombard kids with a culture built around sexuality, but then we don't want to teach them the facts about sexuality? This is why you have 16 and Pregnant. All this brillllllliant idea does is reduce basic information and breed (ha ha) ignorance. Chances are good that kids can handle the fact that their are different types of pairings in romantic relationships/sexuality. Of course that's where it gets all icky for a lot of people - we still don't like to talk about sex for love and romance and it being fun and a bonding time in a relationship. This may be due to the fact that most of the sexuality that gets displayed in the media is that stupid peekaboo tee hee hee male fantasy sexuality.

[truth be told again]

02:42 PM on 04/22/2012

It's bad enough that the frightwing are so woefully ignorant on gay-related matters, but to WALLOW in that ignorance and to proomote/promulgate it is just sad.

[Ioan Lightoller]

06:01 PM on 04/22/2012

Ignorance is just what they want. If they can keep people ignorant, they can keep them scared of GLBT people and willing to see all kinds of strictures against them.

[wolfpeace]

10:52 AM on 04/22/2012

U S Constitution:

"Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Since Everson vs Board of Education (1947) that said the first amendment applies to the states, this Missouri bill is a flagrant violation of a person's free speech.

[Savage Saint Roger]

10:03 AM on 04/22/2012

Wow, talk about heads stuck in the sand. The known odds are that 1 in 10 will be GLBT. The odds have to be higher than that because not too many men walk away from any kind of sex and married men seem to prowl worse than single men. Ladies, do you know where your husbands are? They don't think anything between men is cheating!
One thing is for sure, this law allows for men to continue to being men and women will continue to not have a clue.

[Pervy Sage]

04:55 AM on 04/22/2012

They don't want us to see how cows are treated so they outlaw filming it. Does anybody really think God wants us to make the facts fit the way of looking at things? That's counter-intuitive, we are supposed to make our way of looking at things fit with the facts. Scientifically, people who can grow their meanings and get a handle on their reactions are happier. Intolerance needs to be re-framed, just like family values does (no Mom and Dad required to develop dopamine pathways, and that's what's important - Learning how to use dopamine to enhance our experience of life, to give us the ability to do good works, feel connected, and gives us the ability to focus). We don't need characatures of families pushed for political gain, or birds who stick their heads in the sand, we need the strength to re-frame what's not talked about. Exclusion is the problem, inclusion is the answer.

[Gail A Williams]

06:56 PM on 04/22/2012

You said it all with your last sentence: Exclusion is the problem, inclusion is the answer.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:18 PM on 04/22/2012

Fanned and faved. The bigots want exclusion and discrimination; we want inclusion and equality.

[noodles865]

03:39 AM on 04/22/2012

Will it also not be allowed to be discussed between friends,a concerned teacher and a child in crisis or perhaps even between a child and a school counselor,how far are they willing to take this?it scares me as a person who has worked with children my whole life.I can't say I know what they are going through but a sympathetic conversation or a catch of a child who is planning something terrible could literally save a life.my concern isn't just that they discuss and understand sexuality in a scientific manor or students want a gay pride or respect day,my worry is for those who plan to do harm to others and teachers hands are tied by some antiquated rule.Do they not see the large numbers of deaths happening how do they not equate what they are doing with a further injuring of a child.further hidden gives the clear meaning keep it hid,in a child's teens they work out who they are,how they think this is a choice,a spreadable confection like flavors of a lollipop.I am so worried for these kids and so tired of the games played in politics with the old fashion backroom agreements now being made not by gangsters and officials,but the bible thumpers.irresponsible laws which put others in graver danger than they already are,just ignore it literally,to death.how you deal with this crap everyday of your lives is beyond me..

[noodles865]

06:31 PM on 04/22/2012

Sorry for the sloppy comment had too much had to delete some leaving a mess of commas,periods and messy flow,4:30 in the morning with an ambien finally kicking in..I care deeply for these kids and worry so for them ambien or not

[alteredstory]

07:59 PM on 04/24/2012

Maybe you could talk to them about their Takei-ness?

[noodles865]

11:21 PM on 04/24/2012

Sorry don't know what that mean's,are you being a smart ass and referring to the star trek guy,if that is it you are lucky I guessed it,since I am not gay but just so happens to be a girl who loves sciphi..if not sorry don't know what you meant.So if you are a smart ass I happen to love that as well but see little funny about children who born they way they are,cause it can't be a choice,who would want to put up with all the bullsh!t they go through,bye choice??hell no.when I was little and didn't finish my food grandma would say "remember those in Africa they have no food..but for the grace of God go I".this could be anyone happen to anyone,how do you live forever never being held or comforted by someone you fell in love with..so my sweet smartass you be well and I hope if you or a child you love desperately,ever decided to do something terrible to themselves for whatever reason,I hope you would pray a teacher or another adult might catch the behavior change and try to save their lives,judge by character not by who they love..take care.

[david of real earth]

12:35 AM on 04/22/2012

How about a law that bans the word ''fill in the blank'' this is such silliness, dictatorships try this and they never work. You would think straight men were afraid of us.