It’s the stupid measure that won’t die: Tennessee’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill has resurfaced, and this time it would require educators to tell queer students to go to a psychiatrist—and hand them a referral.
A previous addition forcing teachers to out kids to their parents has been scrapped.
Rep. John Ragan came up with the “call a psychiatrist” angle, though the original bill was the brainchild of Sen. Stacey Campfield.
Knoxville’s WBIR reports:
How about we take this to the next level?
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A measure in the works in the Tennessee legislature would bar school personnel from advising students on “mental health” issues, ‘lifestyle’ choices or other conditions or activities outside career and educational counseling” unless they have been licensed as a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
Teachers, counselors and principals instead would be asked to give students a referral for psychiatric care if they bring up mental health or lifestyle issues.
And, yes, the amendment defines homosexuality as “a lifestyle issue.”
Well, maybe its safer for queer kids to see licensed professionals—certainly more so than approaching their elected officials.
In its original form, the bill prohibited any discussion of homosexuality, particularly during sex-ed classes, between kindergarten and the eighth grade. While it passed the state senate, the bill died in the house after lawmakers realized there were no sex-ed classes in Tennessee schools until the ninth grade.
Dionte
You have been a very very bad girl Stacey. Oh wait your a boy.
2eo
@Dionte: I think you spelt tossmongering fuckhole wrong.
Gigi Gee
It’s Campfield who needs to see a shrink, not gay kids.
dkmagby
Soooo….I assume the ACLU is all over this and it will be going before a judge if ever passed.
Charles175
He does have a shit eating grin.
Charles175
“between kindergarten and the eighth grade”? Isn’t the reason it failed the first time was because there is no sex ed in the entire state within that grade range?
erasure25
Its a lawsuit waiting to happen. The DSM does not list it as a mental disorder. No licensed “shrink” should ever be forced to provide services to a person for no legitimate reason, since being gay is not a disorder.
MuscleModelBlog.com
Oh, Tennesssee…is this really that surprising?
“In its original form, the bill prohibited any discussion of homosexuality, particularly during sex-ed classes, between kindergarten and the eighth grade. While it passed the state senate, the bill died in the house after lawmakers realized there were no sex-ed classes in Tennessee schools until the ninth grade.”
–VERY funny.
Chad Hunt
If ever there was a person who had the supposed, “gay face”, surely this guy has it.
sarahs22
I think TN needs to read the APA’s “Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth”. One of the first things stated is that LGB students’ health, mental health, and education are greatly affected by the rejection that homosexuality is a disease, and “the promotion in schools of efforts to change sexual orientation by therapy or through religious ministries seems likely to exacerbate the risk of harassment, harm, and fear for these youth.”
Homosexuality was declassified as a mental health disorder in 1973. It has been 40 YEARS and LGBTQ individuals still fight for their rights to be seen as EQUAL. How demoralizing. No mainstream psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, social worker or counselor would demote their ethical and moral (professional not necessarily personal) beliefs to accommodate a political organization.
The damage that can be accomplished through conversion therapy is far greater than the damage of accepting one’s self a special, perfect, and normal. Conversion therapy is more than likely to lead to internal feelings of failure if one “fails” to convert to heterosexuality. These feelings could lead to depression and even suicide.
The idea that homosexuality is an illness or disease, and the failure to be “cured” allows for greater discrimination, rejection, and abandonment by friends, community members, and family.
Tennessee is failing its youth.
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/just-the-facts.pdf
Sarah
Now, back to my homework!