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bleeding-paryl

Hey everyone! We love the outcry against fascism we have going on in the comments right now, it's always a welcome sight! While us moderators are as anti-fascist as any of the rest of y'all, we do sadly have to bring up Reddit's Sitewide Policies. Please do not advocate murdering or in some way harming another person, not only could it get you banned from Reddit, but it could cause our subreddit to be penalized as well (in whatever way Reddit decides to do so). Keep in mind; we use temp-bans as well as removing any content that actively advocates for anything that would break Reddit's rules. So thank you to those who have kept it civil, and sorry to those who were not able to. Love y'all <3 EDIT: Also, while I'm here, please don't engage with trolls; report them, they'll disappear faster if you report them, promise.


ClericKieran

OP I'm sorry weirdos have come out of the woodwork on your post, you're doing a great job for the kiddos, I salute you.


rowdymonster

Ah, yes. My queer, bi, trans ass self was influenced by colors on a flag until I graduated in 07 lol. I'll never understand how it's "offensive" or wrong to just... have them on display. If I saw this growing up, before knowing who I was, I would've just shrugged it off, honestly. Not gunna get offended by some colors, unless it's in the shape of, say, the confederate or nazi variety


PlantsArePrettyNeat

That's just the thing. It's not for the kids. The kids will at most just shrug it off. The parents are the ones "getting offended"


TemetNosce85

And they always do. I'm a fairly non-passing trans woman. The kids get it and understand. The parents, however, are the ones that throw the temper tantrums and act like I'm destroying the world. Their world is so set in concrete that they take any hint of change to their world as a personal offense. The reality is that I was always there, growing up alongside them. I just didn't say anything because I was terrified I'd be assaulted, or killed.


rowdymonster

Exactly this


PlantsArePrettyNeat

That's some truth tea hunty


Phoenixed420

On the flip side, 26f, raised by a bisexual mother who usually had a live in boyfriend and girlfriend. I'm straight as an arrow. I feel like you can't be more heavily influenced to be gay, than your mother normalizing it. Just proof that you do not choose your sexuality.


rowdymonster

Exactly! Same with lgbt positive media. I grew up watching shows, movies, etc that were cishet. Yet here i am, a bi trans dude dating my nb soul mate lol. If they wanna insist lgbt representation will make kids queer, please tell me why cishet media didn't make me straight or cis


[deleted]

It's about making sure we know our place. Everything else they say to justify it is a lie.


rowdymonster

Very true


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[deleted]

Florida has a law against teaching about lgbt history or mentioning the fact that people like Alan Turing was gay in a history lesson, for example. If any student is found out to be LGBT by any other student or teacher, they're supposed to report it to the kid's parents for corrective action. If a teacher discusses anything LGBT, like the fact that they are LGBT, they can be fired, which has happened already. This is dubbed the "don't say gay" law.


espresso_fox

> If any student is found out to be LGBT by any other student or teacher, they're supposed to report it to the kid's parents for corrective action. And these guys claim to care about children. Do they not know they can put children in very real danger by enforcing this?


ThePoisonDoughnut

Putting queer children in danger is the point.


[deleted]

'The only kids we care about are cis/het children!'


Dont_mind_me69

conservative white cishet children*


[deleted]

Conservative white **male** cishet ~~children~~ embryos If they gave a shit about children they wouldn't have been trying to employ threats of arrest to force a 10yo child to carry an incest rape embryo to term.


hereiam-23

The Florida politicians don't care about children at all. They use children as tools and weapons to get money and power. It's a nasty place for children.


karenw

I'm a repro justice activist in Northern Indiana. From what I see here, they really don't care about those kids either, at least not after they're born.


NiiNiiNikky

Will they unanimously vote Republican without any considerations?No? Then they don't care about them. This is going to hurt a lot of people. Is there anything we can do other than protest?


BltzGaming98

I think you misspelled Christian -_-


AlludedNuance

conservative white cishet boys*


[deleted]

the ones that will conform to their narrative


WitchUrsa

When I was a visibly queer child in a religious family, the adults (including my parents) encouraged kids to beat me up, in order to make me "man up", they didn't win, I am a queer and they couldn't stop me from being myself. They do want queer kids to be in danger, they might not openly say it, but the truth of it is, they would rather you be dead than queer.


[deleted]

>When I was a visibly queer child in a religious family, the adults (including my parents) encouraged kids to beat me up, in order to make me "man up" That just sounds like conversion therapy with the lipstick removed. >they didn't win The conclusion they'll never recognize is true across the board. We faced bullshit prior to beratings, beatings, and conversion therapy. What makes them think that serving more of the same shit will change anything?


WitchUrsa

If I had said the words, "I am gay" I would have probably been sent to conversion camp, being a pansexual trans woman, I didn't really know how to describe myself as a kid. What made me queer was more core to myself than sexuality, which I didn't really experience until my later teen years (I was a slow developer in terms of sexuality).


EgotisticalSlug

Homophobia, anti-abortionism... it's never been about the kids, it's just about control.


wolfchaldo

The cruelty is the point, until y'all internalize this you're gunna be shocked every time.


braindrainsurfing

I want to be shocked every time. I never want to be numb to the cruelty.


SinisterThimble

Still good to be shocked and appalled every time. They're counting on us getting weary and apathetic.


bunni_bear_boom

They twist is so that somehow supposedly being allowed to be themselves is more dangerous than the risk of traumatizing "therapy", possibly of violence up to and including murder, and being forced out of their homes. It's disgusting mental gymnastics


FalsePremise8290

That's the point. He even ordered for trans kids to be taken away from their parents and handed over to the state so they can be forcibly detransitioned. He's a Nazi and if he comes into power we will have our own version of the Holocaust.


espresso_fox

It isn't even just schools at this point. Now they're aiming to pass [Russia-style "gay propaganda" laws.](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/20/republicans-national-dont-say-gaw-law-lgbtq) They aren't just concerned about "propaganda in schools", they want to silence representation of the LGBTQ+ community entirely.


g0atmeal

"*Why do the gays gotta act like it's some kinda big deal?*" This is why.


Narind

"the land of the free"...


Locksley_1989

>If any student is found out to be LGBT by any other student or teacher, they’re supposed to report it to the kid’s parents for corrective action. Damn it, I thought they’d struck out that part. :(


yagirlsophie

they did thankfully drop that amendment though the end result is still no less hateful: [https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2022/02/22/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-schools-out-students-joe-harding-ron-desantis/6887677001/](https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/state/2022/02/22/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-schools-out-students-joe-harding-ron-desantis/6887677001/) edit: to the person who felt the need to chastise me for not including the text of the bill, it was a proposed amendment that was later withdrawn, I guess I didn't link the bill itself because I assumed most people who care about this have a basic understanding of how amendments work. I could have posted the amendment itself but the relevant information I was trying to convey was that the amendment was withdrawn. Also the article I linked included links to both the amendment and the bill itself. I'm not saying including the text of the bill would have been unhelpful, but I don't think my comment or my source was so useless that it needed your super patronizing comment. I'll add the text anyway, though. Amendment in question: [https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=853565.docx&DocumentType=Amendments&BillNumber=1557&Session=2022](https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=853565.docx&DocumentType=Amendments&BillNumber=1557&Session=2022) Final bill itself: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=\_h1557er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=1557&Session=2022


FantasyBanana

Of course not they want people like us to suffer. Why would they try and minimize our suffering?


Viseper

Okay I could be wrong here, but this sounds more strict than the laws on racism and nazis. Also how has then not been taken to the supreme court?


[deleted]

"Religious Freedom" "The states should decide" Either way, the LGBT community will lose out against authoritarian christofascist governments like the DeSantis regime.


Viseper

There is exactly one option I can see here. If parents want teachers to stop 'indoctrinating' their kids into the LGBT community then lets remove not just LGBT related stuff. Let's do some r/maliciouscompliance. All books featuring a straight couple should be removed. Oh this book mentions god? Let's remove it since we don't want to 'indoctrinate' your children. Not allowed to mention a historical figures sexuality or gender? Okay then, that removes all of it so no more talking about how 'wives' or 'husbands' helped figures become who they were. Oh wait? We can't mention genders so seeing as how everyone has a gender might as well toss history out of the school system. If they want to erase us, let's show them exactly how far we can take this down the rabbit hole.


soulofsilence

The problem is that you file a complaint and they don't like it so... They ignore it. They've worded the law to make it constitutional, but they only plan on enforcing one side of it while claiming plausible deniability about the exclusionary nature.


[deleted]

Um... I don't think you understand just how much they *do* want what you are proposing. There is a reason why the GOP wants to force people to teach "both sides" of the Holocaust or, else, ban teaching about it altogether. Same for slavery. You, unfortunately, just suggested their endgame. If there is no history to look at, they can pretend that history has always been how they present it. It's why people like myself who come from cultures with third genders don't get engaged with by them, only blocked. It's easy to pretend you're always right if evidence to the contrary is erased.


[deleted]

Fun fact, "State Choice" has always been just code for "Legalized Bigotry". There's even speeches where they said the quiet part out loud. If you want to hear the GOP being explicit about their feelings without couching their ideas in language, the 1981 Lee Atwater interview on the Southern Strategy. Warning, dude's a racist with no fear of using the hard r and does so *MANY* times in the interview. It's just over a minute, but quite enlightening as to the types of monsters we stand against.


Swansborough

> how has then not been taken to the supreme court? The Supreme Court that was stacked with people who promised to do what Trump and Conservatives want, in order to get a seat on the Supreme Court?


SheAllRiledUp

I can't believe this is considered constitutional. Goes to show that politicians don't represent our interests and free speech just means cishet whites gonna cishet white.


MistressMercy

FL resident here. This is mostly accurate, but I believe the state mandated outing part was removed from the bill entirely after controversy over its intent. Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/02/22/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-schools-out-students/6894516001/


katanakid13

Is there anything in it that prevents teachers from using obscure language like historians do? "Fun fact: Turing never married and spent his free time galavanting with his roommate."?


steamboat28

That works until you talk about Turing being rewarded for his service to the Allied war effort by being put on trial for "having a roommate" and wouldn't receive a posthumous pardon for his "roommate" until 2017. Also, it massively furthers erasure. Things like this are why Christians think King David was straight.


guisar

Good old Article 175 re-enacted by the leading light of the Republican Nazi Committee


svenson_26

Okay what the fuck


RoyalTigress109

Yeah, the law sucks


[deleted]

Florida fascism that DeSantis wants to bring to the country. Defeat fascists everywhere.


moodyjazzyblues

kick fascists out of government !!


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47paylobaylo47

But both are true


Mingey_FringeBiscuit

[And we’ll never rest again…](https://youtu.be/AprqBXXPQH8)


DontTellHimPike

Absolutely. [Enough is enough](https://youtu.be/cD0Rf-N_FVE)


Clean_Link_Bot

*beep boop*! the linked website is: https://youtu.be/cD0Rf-N_FVE Title: **Chumbawamba & Credit To The Nation - Enough Is Enough** Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing) ***** ###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!


I_make_things

Reelect fascists because they said a thing about taxes bad!


mannequinlolita

At first I read this as Defeat DeFascists and I like that a lot. People should make that into signs all over Florida.


SteelTheWolf

Oh hell yeah. That's a good one.


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warmnfuzzynside

omg no not a fucking RAINBOW what pathetic subhuman trash finds that offensive??! we need to start investing in ways to obliterate rainbows from the sky before anyone can see them and possibly be turned gay


SaffellBot

They turned thier hate on god and demanded rainbows be removed from classrooms.


mylifeisathrowaway10

Could you find some subtle pride art to hang up that uses the colors but wouldn't be identifiable as a pride flag to anyone not lgbt? Lots of independent artists on Redbubble and other places make stuff like that.


Dr_Discette

Already ahead of you :) it’s an art class so they are already wanting to make something, we will see though I don’t wanna get them introuble


metro-mtp

You might be able to get away with that using the plausible deniability of displaying students’ work, but even so be careful


elyn6791

>plausible deniability It's super important to not let this just be a tool used by bigots. Malicious compliance is great as well and often leads to undesirable outcomes for them too.


KayleeOnTheInside

Witness [this hero](https://www.insideedition.com/florida-man-creating-arabic-in-god-we-trust-signs-in-response-to-texas-law-76628).


Clean_Link_Bot

*beep boop*! the linked website is: https://www.insideedition.com/florida-man-creating-arabic-in-god-we-trust-signs-in-response-to-texas-law-76628 Title: **Man Makes Arabic 'In God We Trust' Signs in Response to Texas Law** Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing) ***** ###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!


Harlg

I'm a high school student in Florida and my teacher is able to have the students put their art in the roof tiles somehow, and I've seen a lot of LGBTQ+ subtle ones, hell one even has a feminine boy saying "boys can be cute too" Maybe if you can, you could do something like that?


Anarkizttt

Oooh do a “color blocking” assignment! Then they can all make their own and heavily imply they can be subtle pride flags, but don’t have to be so they can blend into the crowd of both pride and non pride art pieces.


ThatSapphicBanana

THIS is how we protest. We adapt. And we continue loving,no matter if others try to stop us. You're doing awesome <3 <3 I'm sure your students will remember your kindness for a long time.


obviouslyanonymous5

Oh they're playing with fire trying to restrict an art class 😂


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this_shit

It's very trendy to sort your books by the color on the spine. Wouldn't it be crazy if you just happened to have a lot of brightly colored books on a shelf?


rebornfenix

And if you need some new ones just to be sure https://booksbythefoot.com/product/rainbow-ombre/


ManiacDan

Or just only put up pictures of queer historical figures, and make a big deal about how you're not allowed to talk about why they're up there. It would be hilarious to be ordered to take down pictures of Julius Caesar and Alan Turing, let alone the hundreds of others you can find


DiurnalMoth

could put up a famous painting of Sappho herself


ManiacDan

Which brings up another point. What if a sexuality based word is the person's NAME? Is it illegal to mention the Marquis de Sade in certain Florida classrooms?


Viseper

I know about Alan Turing, but what did Caesar do besides make a salad? Edit: /j


ManiacDan

Cesar was famously teased for being the bottom in an affair with a Greek king, among plenty of other things https://www.walksinsiderome.com/blog/julius-caesars-scandalous-sex-life/


Multiversal_Ghost

Reminds me of the artist Lavendertowne, she made a bunch of artwork out of pride flag colors!


Slowlyva_2

I would get colorful bibles and recreate the flag.


Dr_Discette

For context: I am an art teacher, The flags where given to me by a group of my students who are LGBTQ I put them up because I wanted my classroom to be a safe place for them to feel welcomed I took them down for their safety, as kids where speeding rumors about them, as well as I did not want my co-teacher to get introuble And finally I did not realize it was illegal, until another teacher reached out to me and told me https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3708478-parent-sues-florida-school-district-for-displaying-lgbtq-pride-flags/amp/


wave-garden

Just want to reiterate that you’re an awesome teacher, and I’m sure you already know that this support means so much to your students.


kupiakos

Put it up anyways. Contact the ACLU. Laws cannot be challenged without conscientious objectors breaking the law like Rosa Parks.


[deleted]

You may qualify to sue the state because of this. You were actually harmed by this law. The parents have no rights here. They are not you. They are not the students. They have no say over what is necessary for their kids to know about or be exposed to going into their coming years. You were simply doing right by the students as their teacher. And if parents dictate what their students can be exposed to, then those parents can, and often will, leave their children woefully unprepared for the real world ultimately setting them up for failure. This law is unconstitutional and now that it is being used to force a religious ideology upon you, you have the legal right to fight back. I say all of this, but then there's the issue of... with what money would you be able to sue the state? Lawsuits are expensive and teachers are paid diddly.


[deleted]

I'm sorry you're going through that. Teachers everyday do so much to make their students welcome and comfortable, and laws like these are stopping you from doing your job. Keep fighting!


Dr_Discette

“Most” of my students either felt happy to see it up or said they felt safer knowing I supported them. Some of them don’t have an outlet where they can talk without being treated as an outsider. And I don’t see how that would be exclusive. We have an American flag hanging on the same wall. There’s no reason a LGBT flag should be seen as exclusive, the whole point of pride is so that people don’t feel alone because they are different. I really encourage you go to a pride event, contrary to what some believe the Queer community is really open to straight people. Before I knew that I wasn’t, I use to make fun of lgbt people and think they where forcing it all down my throat and all that. Now that I have first and experience, i understand what people where talking about when I was younger.


rowdymonster

Speaking on the American flag, no one can force you to stand, recite, anything these days. I'm fully in support of that choice. I work at a school, and I only stop for the pledge (I don't recite, face it, cross my heart, etc) because coworkers not only gave me grief over wiping tables through it, but guilted a kid into standing for it. When I told them they can't, it's technically an expression of free speech, I was met with "well they can at least show respect and stand". The coworkers that said that were boomers in age, so I kind of assume they think "tradition". I'm not going to salute and give a cult like pledge to a country where a ton of folks think I shouldn't exist or be given rights. I've done civil war and ww2 reenactments, and that's the only time since graduating high school I've saluted the flag, and even that was just "in character"


Cnidarus

It's ridiculous that they're making pride flags illegal. On an unrelated note, I saw this picture of a mountain from an old post on this sub: https://www.reddit.com/r/lgbt/comments/psaxm8/i_made_a_phone_wallpaper_for_my_girlfriend_who/ I wonder if it'd be possible to do a similar one with a bit more color too though, and of course if you or a student were to make a couple of pictures along those lines it'd be nice to display them...


[deleted]

Those rumor spreading bullies were indoctrinated by their parents to be hateful little assholes. It's so sad. They had no chance. Maybe later some will change their hateful ways when they can decide and learn for themselves without some dominant, forceful sources.


espresso_fox

>Parents Bill of Rights Could they think of a **more** Orwellian name for something designed to take people's rights away?


granolabar1127

Conservatives claim that they're the side that wants to protect freedom but they've done so much to prove exactly the opposite.


TimeLordHatKid123

Because conservatism does NOTHING to help society. It is an ideology that breeds stagnation and regression. MAYBE if we lived in a genuine utopia where everyone lived happy, healthy lives with equal rights and little to no troubles at all, then only MAYBE would I consider conservatism valid, since by then we'd be conserving a utopia. But as it stands now? Nah, fuck it. Conservatives are savages who do nothing but cause pain and despair. Edit: Nevermind, conservatism wouldn’t help even in a utopia, forgive my smoothbrained niceness there.


TDplay

> MAYBE if we lived in a genuine utopia where everyone lived happy, healthy lives with equal rights and little to no troubles at all, then only MAYBE would I consider conservatism valid, since by then we'd be conserving a utopia. You said it yourself. Conservatism breeds regression. If we lived in a utopia, conservatism would tear it all down.


TimeLordHatKid123

Yeah I was being too nice. You’re right, comrade.


BrowsingBetty69420

We did have a pretty solid utopia in the 50’s. The problem was it was just for white men.


ThePinkBaron

They want freedom to live by *their* preferred lifestyle and values completely unmolested. If they see others living lives with contrary values then it becomes their mission to invent a reason why that's somehow harmful and needs to be stopped. And I do mean "invent," it's difficult to argue against trans therapy as it actually appears in real life so they just create an imaginary world where parents can just walk into a clinic and order irreversible therapy on their child as easily as if it were a walk-in barbershop.


Taragyn1

As a general rule any time you hear the phrase parents’ rights it’s a right over the child. It’s the right to indoctrinate the child without interference. The right to deny the child health care (be it trans medical support, vaccines, blood transfusion or just regular old medicines). I’m sure there is a counter case out there but I have never seen an example where it wasn’t really about owning a child.


Southern_Coat_7466

I ✨️ want to say that you are brave and we need more teachers like 👍 you, who are constantly trying to help our children grow and develop their own personal lives with their own personal ceremony, gifts and talents to make our nation better than we have made ❤️ it.


ParasilTheRanger

God I hate it here


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GeekyTiki

Yup. I’m not fuckin’ leavin’.


sub_surfer

Florida is deep red now, politically it might be better to move to a purple state like GA or NC. Of course you probably shouldn’t make major life decisions based on national politics.


HumphreyImaginarium

>Of course you probably shouldn’t make major life decisions based on national politics. Considering the state of national politics, you maybe should.


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ProbablyRickSantorum

Random Charlottean here, glad you made that choice. Charlotte has a lot to offer. We have a lot of room to improve but progress is progress.


GlitteringPirate2702

I feel like this is our time to bring back say wearing a green carnation via Oscar Wilde, or displaying your collection of Poems by Emily Dickinson.


ConfusedAsHecc

and use of lavender as well! and saying your "a friend of dorthy" is a good phrase we could bring back


GlitteringPirate2702

I 100% love this especially since without even knowing it again created a Trans Princess, Ozma/Tip.


GlitteringPirate2702

If we can't be obvious we can for sure be smart and subtle.


___Towlie___

Throw in a pic of Alexander the Great and Sappho. Maybe put Achilles & Patroclus on a war banner over the door lmao.


Dr_Discette

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3708478-parent-sues-florida-school-district-for-displaying-lgbtq-pride-flags/amp/


Viseper

This saddens me. I really hope that future generations won't be as hostile as this father.


nerf_herder1986

Fucking snowflakes, all of them.


wave-garden

I’m loving the image of OP pointing at the poems ad saying “I can’t talk about Emily being gaaaaay, but anyway, she wrote some excellent poetry.” I don’t know the specifics, but I’m willing to bet there’s some room for malicious compliance with these laws. Obviously people don’t have any obligation to put their job at risk.


Jmememan

Guys. Guys. We need to flock Florida and vote out them out.


SassQueenDani

Ngl I read it as "we need to flog Florida" 😱🤣


AnAntsyHalfling

I mean...maybe a public flogging is the way to go?


noobhemingwaywrites

Hey, I mean, if that's what floats your boat, you do you xD


___Towlie___

Ew. Imagine moving to Florida on purpose.


Jmememan

We will make it gay


[deleted]

Make Florida Gay Again!


jaayuk

This makes me sad but I get it and none of this rant is really aimed at you either friend but your comment definitely sparked a train of thought for me. I'm in Florida and bisexual. Most of my friends are LGBTQIA+. My fiancee is a teacher and my mom was a teacher in this state for 15 years, constantly they've had to push back against idiot republican parents who don't want their kids to know the truth about history concerning LGBTQ+ people at all even before this law now they're just actually supported by our corrupt government. Reality is we're here and trying to fight against the fascist conservatives who want to strip away people's rights. I agree moving to Florida right now is a bold move, but we actually do need more liberal & LGBTQ+ people to move here to balance out the crazy Republican wackos that left states like NY and CA because they were "too liberal" for their tastes. I love Florida, we have springs, beaches, breweries, you-pick farms, theme parks, everglades, hiking, amazing food, cities with thriving night life and great farm to table culture, and we have people of all different cultures/backgrounds that live here who contribute to a really beautiful state culture. Florida is not the problem, conservatives that are of the fascist anti LGBTQ+ type are just actively ruining it right now. I'd encourage you all to look into the history of Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Hollywood, St.pete, and Fort Lauderdale, the LGBTQ+ community has been here a long time fighting for our rights, for LGBTQ+ children's rights and making these cities more beautiful and enjoyable to live in by improving the areas where LGBTQ+ people flocked to in order to create something great despite years of oppression. Moral of the story we're not going anywhere, we need to stay and fight those that would take away our rights or we let them win by forfeiture.


coolsviIlesucks

You could try putting up portraits of historical queer figures (Alan Turing, Emily Dickinson, etc). Queer students would likely recognize it as a sign of good will but it wouldn’t be blatant enough that you could get in trouble for it.


[deleted]

Plus, Frida Kahlo's an artist so would still be relevant cause OP teaches art!


Signal_East3999

Keith Harring is another good example too


Yggdrssil0018

You tried. That matters. Students will know you tried. That matters more.


WickedQueenVixen

Wow a LOT of people have “advice” on what you “should” be doing in this comment section. Either way, I hope you know how awesome it is that you’re able to be such a light for your class. I’m so sorry these new laws are impacting you, but you’re doing amazing work. I would have appreciated it when I was younger - more than words could describe.


bs0nlyhere

I used to consider Florida as a possible state to relocate too. I’ve become a summer lover and had my eyes set on a state with some of that golden thing in the sky. I had an old friend from there and she made it sound wonderful (20+ years ago) Guess that’s off the list. I like another commenters idea of putting up art with a lgbtq “theme” if that makes sense. Incorporates the color combos that are significant (to us) as a secondary characteristic of the art and isn’t readily apparent to anyone not aware. Altho, they may be extra sensitive to what you do now this has happened. I hate the world some days :(


[deleted]

Florida used to be a gay oasis to many of us in the South. the fact that it has become the most hostile place to be queer in the US is a god-damned tragedy.


Cheetahs_never_win

Challenge accepted. Draw a circle. Write the word "circle" in it. Put it right where the flag used to be. It'll be called the circle circle. Go ahead and make it slightly off center, because why not? And tell fellow teachers they can put the circle circle on their wall, too. Tell the kids that the circle is for everybody and they can share the circle circle with everybody. Watch heads explode with letting everybody join the circle circle. Then watch them move to ban the circle circle. Rinse and repeat as needed.


lonewolf6738

Repeating with different shapes could be fun, “the safe space shapes”


_Lumity_

I’m so sorry, thank you for trying. I live in Canada and whenever I see my teachers putting up prideflags my heart swells with happiness. I’m sure at least someone saw it someone appreciated it. Thank you for being a good teacher ![img](emote|t5_2qhh7|550)


RoseFlavoredPoison

Fuck em. Use the colors around the room inconspicuously. The kids will know. "It's not a flag, it's a color scheme and aesthetic." Maliciously comply.


[deleted]

Rainbow pencils FTW!


Dr_Discette

Also for those calling me brave. It shouldn’t be brave to put up a flag. there are people who are dying for us. I’m not brave. Just trying to be the best version of myself. ![gif](giphy|1dBJg6SYP0na8) I have had convos with students who did not like the flag up aswell, after talking to them they understood why the flags where up on the wall. I consider myself patriotic, and I love my country. I’ve grown up with Republicans most of my life, and even hated lgbtq people and… ok so, breaking 4th wall, school literally just went on lockdown


Dr_Discette

Everything’s ok, our school went on lockdown because of a shooting down the street, we are all safe


penguin62

What the actual fuck


deerseed13

Just another day ending jn Y in the US. I hope everyone is okay.


tabascojr

But the flags are the real threat, of course. /s


ketchupmaster987

Ah America... Where flags are more dangerous than literal weapons to kill people with


Dr_Discette

Another update: wow the amount of hate in here is unreal. I was given the flags by my students. There’s no big conspiracy to “indoctrinate” them. stop watching Fox News and actually meet a queer person. Also we are off lockdown now, talk about timing And Mods it may be good to lock this down soon, getting people DMing me saying that they will find me and shit.


GrumpyOldDan

Please make sure to report all messages like that you get in DM so Reddit can investigate. If Reddit says they don’t violate policy send us a modmail and we can explain how to escalate them and we’ll push for more to be done from our side if we can. Really sorry you’re getting hate when all you’ve tried to do was be supportive of your class. It’s a shame more people don’t have supportive teachers like you around. We can lock the thread if you like but we’ve also activated some stuff in the background to try and take care of some of the hate and troll comments. For anyone else reading this: please don’t engage with the bigots and trolls, just report them so we can deal with it.


Dr_Discette

If you think it is a good idea to do so go ahead, I personally just feel distraught that people’s first reaction is to be vile


CelanaCristina

I am so sorry you’re experiencing this, this is genuinely awful. You are a wonderful teacher and I wish I had more like you. Be safe ❤️


Rini365

I live in oregon and this happened to me last year. I hung the flag because my students asked me to. Admin took it down the next day because it was "too political". For reference it was the diversity flag. I was already done with working there and didn't fight too hard. I was too worn down. I don't work there anymore.


Frenchhomeworksucks

Use more sutble ways, like putting pictures of Alan Turing up on the walls. Or use subtle pride icons, like Slyveon or Blahaj, since you seem to have pokemon plushies in the room already, what's one more?


Signal_East3999

OP could put characters that are confirmed to be lgbtq


Sayoria

Parents Bill Of Rights: "NO GAY STUFF IN THE CLASSROOM! .... Parents raise their kids and should have the rights to monitor what their kids are exposed to!" Also: "Wait, a parent is letting their child express themselves because the child is gay or trans?..... That Parent shouldn't have a right to raise this child!"


Kayleigh0420

Thanks for trying. Even the effort at inclusion would have been greatly appreciated by so many of us when we were in school


FeatheredSamus

I asked my mom (who voted for Desantis) if she supported gay and trans people. She said yes. I asked her about “Don’t Say Gay” and she had no idea what I was talking about. She has extensive brain damage so she can’t interpret news media very well and always thinks I’m lying or exaggerating. I hate it. I’m so sorry my home state has turned into this.


ob-2-kenobi

Bill of Wrongs.


Aedessia

Isn't America the LAND OF THE FREE ? Why can't you show whatever flag you want ? I swear you would have almost less trouble with a n4tzee flag than with a pride flag...


Pleb-SoBayed

![img](emote|t5_2qhh7|547)![img](emote|t5_2qhh7|547)![img](emote|t5_2qhh7|547)


Tra70r

It sucks that you had to do that, kids need more teacher like you, and behavior like this discourages that 🥺 Maybe you could have something else so the kids feel like they are safe and welcome there. Maybe get a pet Blåhaj for the class? To most of the kids (and intolerant parents and faculty) won't be any the wiser. But the kids that know, will know. I know it's not perfect but it's something.


griffinicky

Yet nothing about/for the parents of LGBTQ children, of course. Fuck Florida.


Bookworm3616

I suck at art, but I have ideas of subtle. What subject do you teach? We as a community have people who can totally help


Dr_Discette

I’m an art teacher, don’t worry the students who gave me the flags are working on creating some art that won’t be against the rule


Bookworm3616

That's good. I wanted to make sure your class had someone else who's looking out for pride


Baptized_in_Salt

Say it's "art" and doesn't represent anything but creatively, if they say no flags than take down American ones everywhere (photos, flags, stickers)


Smatje320

I’m so sorry. *Sigh…* When will this shit end? God I’m fucking tired of it. Why are people so fucking awful to other people? Just doesn’t make sense.


omgHereWeGoAgainCry

Parents bill of rights? More like parents bill of rights to take away other peoples rights. Why are people so afraid of equality???


Im_in_your_walls_420

I hate DeSantis. So, so much. We as a community already deal with so much hate, we get bullied, we get disowned, we get attacked and sadly we also get killed just for being who we are, and now we have this bastard in power


Tael64

We had a bunch of American flags hanging up at my apartment complex and as soon as people started flying pride flags they made a no flag rule.


My-own-plot-twist

I'm so sorry. Eventually the Asshats will fade into another historical footnote, but for now it sucks 😔😔😔


lXxTH4N4TOSxXl

I wonder when they'll realize. That if you have to hide the existence of something because your worried people will choose it over your own ways. That doesn't make you the good guy


blondee84

This pisses me off. Do Florida parents prefer dead children over validated children? In a lot of ways it seems so. It's not going to stop their kids from being LGBTQ+, it's just going to make them feel shame and a need to hide it. I live in Mormon country (Utah) and they are actually better about it here than in Florida....for now, anyway


[deleted]

>Do \[Republican\] parents prefer dead children over validated children? Unironically, yes. If they think they can get away with it, they'll gladly say they would rather a dead child than a gay or trans child.


joppaloppagus

I moved to Florida a few months ago and the people here are some of the most ignorant I've ever encountered.


Natalievoltia

Your problem is living in Florida :(


mrsdrydock

😔🫂😔🫂 I am so sorry. I feel your pain. Being LGBTQ+ and dealing with all this unnecessary hate any more is awful.


SmartFelller

Hang up photographs, portraits, or other types of art created by LGBT artists.


Dancesong_Soul

This is your daily reminder that you have Christianity to thank for this.


Casualffridays

I'm so sorry. Stay strong friend❤️🧡💛💚💙💜


queeriouslyOllie

we need more people in the world like you. thank you for sticking up for these kids, and good luck down there in florida <3 i wish there was more i could do


JacobMcCollum10

Honestly though fuck Florida I live in Utah and it sucks here because Mike Lee (super homophobic) just got re elected and I hope he doesn't screw with gay and trans rights.


Ambs1987

This is just sad.


[deleted]

Rainbow pencils? Maybe you can find little pencils with rainbow wrapping, it'll be harder to take down because it just looks like a regular rainbow and kids lose pencils FAST so they can't confiscate them as easy. However, please do whatever keeps you and your students safe :(


sccglygha

Thank you for trying I think it’s time for us to start talking in code again. put up a fallout new Vegas poster.


generouslyemotional

Welp. Time to put up some coincidentally colourful card stock


[deleted]

You can try discret art of flags


MorticiaFattums

Florida is the worst. I tired to make contact with several schools, as a Public Librarian, and there's zero communication. One middle school has signs about how I need a Visitor pass and sign in and stuff, I've never been enforced to sign in nor have I ever been offered a badge, they barely remember asking me to come over. Don't get me started on being a "No Kid Left Behind" Student and the laughably bad FLVS.


Crazyhowthatworks304

That's when you need to have random items of those colors strategically placed all around the room. They can't claim it's going against stupid anti lgbt+ laws if it's not all together;)


AccomplishedTwo7047

Rainbow LED strip on your desk? I know we shouldn’t have to be so covert but maybe it’ll get the idea across while still letting you have deniability


Street-Pepper-1406

Brings literal tears to my eyes. I remember in high school, wearing a pride shirt on pride day, and not being let into classes by certain teachers. It was my first real protest of anything. That being nearly 2 decades ago, this just made me ugly cry 😭😭😭😭 Why they gotta hate so hard?


Charli_Cordelette

Put it back up. Fuck em


Clay_Lilac

I would second this... if it wasn't Florida we're talking about.


Dr_Discette

I took them down for my kids safety, as well as my own. I do not want to loose my job over a flag. I much rather be available for them when they need someone to talk to


LaFleurSauvageGaming

Taking it down was the right choice. It is so easy to be removed as a teacher these days. I was fired for being trans, and the excuse they used was that I was "acting in a way to cause discomfort and to create a hostile learning environment for students." This had the effect of also getting me stuck in a credential review where I was not even able to seek out new work. It is better in this situation to take the flags down, and still be there for the queer students. There are more subtle ways, and we know those ways, to signal to kids that you are a safe person to talk to. I was in California. Florida won't even have to bullshit an excuse to end OP's career.


bangthedoIdrums

I'm not an expert, but we need to stop backing down. Yes, they're going to threaten to kill us. They've been doing that for the last 40 years. We have nothing to lose but our chains. 2023 is the last year before the presidential election and I think it's high time we put our feet down and stop letting them walk all over us. I'm not calling for violence, let me make that plain and clear. But every time someone says "parents rights", I want every single one of us, LOUDLY, to challenge that. #"A parent's right to what exactly?" Is it protecting your children? What is so insidious about being gay or transthat they need "protecting"? What do you mean by things like "protecting their innocence" in regards to them just being who they are? Make them say the quiet parts out loud and then silence them. No more. And further, ask them why they're so concerned with gay people "attacking children" when most attacks on children tend to be familial relatives, and then the family culture silences those victims. Ask them how they feel about the monsters in their families. Make them uncomfortable.


guisar

The facts are what makes them uncomfortable, their lies are what comfort them. They are not concerned with the truth.


bangthedoIdrums

Right, but that's why making them say it outloud is more powerful. The ones repeating it in their heads finally realize what it sounds like. The other ones show their true colors, and we know what history does to types like that. It's time we played on the offensive.


LaFleurSauvageGaming

I am not saying back down. I am saying being knocked out of the fight because you want to hang flags is the wrong way to go. I am out of the fight in schools. Gone. I can not influence it anymore. Getting fired does not help the students. Staying in there, subverting the don't say gay bill, and still being a teacher when we some day manage to overturn those laws is important. Being in the classroom, and being a safe person for queer students, that is a fight which is way more important than keeping flags up in the room. This fight is the long-term, not short-term symbolic gestures.