A Colorado transgendered student may become a tool for California right-wing radicals to wield in the fight for LGBT rights.

A second grader is causing quite a commotion in the Colorado town of Highlands Ranch. The child whose name was not released by media outlets is transgendered. Biologically male, the student returned to a Douglas County school dressed as a girl and wishing to be addressed by a girl’s name.

The school district itself seems well prepared, they’ve made uni-sex bathrooms available to the child and the school says it will address the second-grader by name instead of by gender.

Local parents are concerned though, “I don’t think a [second] grader does have the rationale to decide this life-altering choice,” one parent told local news affiliate, KUSA-TV. “I just find it ironic that they can dictate the dress style of children to make sure they don’t wear inappropriate clothing, but they have no controls in place for someone wearing transgender clothing.”

Since the KUSA reports, news outlets nationwide including the Drudge Report have covered the story and the media attention may not bode well for the gay community at large.

In December of 2007, The Advocate published a story called “Gay vs. Trans: The Great Divide?” their LGBT round table touched on the fact that gays and lesbians, wishing to be seen as mainstream, are not always supportive of their transgendered brothers and sisters. Round table member Kevin Fernandez, a 22 year old gay man explain that while he feels disconnected from the transgendered community, “we’ve all had people hate us for who we are. That’s enough for us to stick together and have strength in numbers.”

The article was published shortly after gender identity was removed from the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (in the U.S. House of Representatives). The hope was that without gender identity protections the legislation would pass and protect people based on sexual orientation.

Whether they support the transgendered community or not, the gay and lesbian community’s actions have definitely drawn a line differentiating themselves from the transgendered movement. Right wing radicals may not recognize the difference so clearly however. Almost a year ago, California passed a bill (SB 777) to amend the State Educational Code to protect children from discrimination on the basis of disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

Christian and right wing groups were strongly opposed to the bill. “The notion of forcing children to support controversial sexual lifestyles is shocking and appalling to millions of fathers and mothers,” said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families. “Parents don’t want their children taught to become homosexual or bisexual or to wonder whether they need a sex-change operation. SB 777 will shatter the academic purpose of education by turning every government school into a sexual indoctrination center.”

A source that wished to remain anonymous informed Real Gay L.A. that radical conservative groups are using the bill as a scare tactic to try to rally support against the gay community at large explaining that teachers are now asking student whether they wish to be referred to as a girl or a boy. These groups claim that situations in schools have become “dire” as a result of all the liberties that the “homosexual agenda” has won in past years.

Tags:Campaign for Children and Families, Randy Thomasson, SB 777, transgendered student

 Email this post  Print This Post

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Matt Falber is the Editor-in-Chief of Real Gay L.A. Matt was formerly an editorial assistant at Frontiers Magazine. He served as a regular contributing writer for Frontiers for two years and also wrote for IN Los Angeles, its sister publication. Matt has a flare for the arts and when we don't have him chained to his desk, he can be seen singing and acting in various L.A. venues.
Email this author | All posts by Matt Falber

Sponsored Links: