Alabama’s Hoover High School will allow student Sara Couvillon to wear a t-shirt saying, “Gay? Fine By Me” after being threatened with a lawsuit by the Southern Poverty Law Center. School officials released a statement saying, “[The shirt] has not caused a substantial disruption and the student will be allowed to wear it.” That’s good, especially since Couvillon wore the shirt all last year without any complaints whatsoever.
Oh, when the students teach the teachers.
Jose R.
Yes, it’s called freedom of Speech…something the bigot Bible thumpers only hold on to when it comes to THEIR Churches spewing hatred and judgment all in the name of Jebuz. THAT they consider free speech. The moment someone wears a shirt they disagree with, well….what 1st amendment? doesn’t work like that bigots.
IonMusic
I congratulate and salute this young lady for having the courage to speak on behalf of so many vulnerable gay youth who don’t have a voice. We need more strong allies identifying themselves and not being afraid to stick their necks out in the name of tolerance, acceptance and compassion. It’s this kind of courage that makes bigots feel bigoted. Once a bully and bigot feels like the odd man out, they reconsider their own choices. With gay acceptance gaining ground, hopefully we’ll see more of our allies stepping up when a gay kid is being bullied to death. Thank you Sara for doing that.
SteveATL
I just saw on some entertainment program how a bunch of hate mongers are planning to protest Chaz Bono participating on Dancing With the Stars, and it made me think, the hate mongers have no issue firing people from a job for being LGBT.
They have no problem protesting the funeral of a dead gay person.
They have no problem telling gay people they’ll rot in hell.
But a pro gay message being spoken? well, freedom of speech does not exist then. F that BS! It’s time for gays and friends of gays to grow a spine like this teenager did. Get active, get to work, and get equal. People equate gay with weak. I’m not weak. And I’m glad the community at large (well, some of them. Self haters, you keep standing on the side liners trying to figure out who the EFF you are) are not standing for the double standard in speech and hate.
Riker
Seems like their lawyer finally awoke from his drunken stupor to tell them about the Tinker v. Des Moines standard. If it doesn’t cause “substantial disruption” to the educational process, then first amendment rights do not stop at the schoolhouse door.
Chip
How long before some other students start wearing “Gay? NOT okay by me” or worse?
Mav
I wouldn’t be worried about people wearing anti-gay tee-shirts in response to this. They would never admit it, but extremist bigots against civil rights are minorities too – the overwhelming majority of Americans are moderate and don’t really give a shit. The polarized portrayal of American politics in the U.S. is not indicative of the views of the average American citizen.
I think someone who decided to wear a shirt with hate speech on it would be much more likely to be socially ostracized than an openly gay person, even here in Alabama. High schoolers in particular are more and more indifferent to the homosexuality of their peers every day, because so many of them are coming out of the closet and are being shown as the opposite of the boogeymen that fundamentalist churches have proclaimed them to be. And progressive youth are self-righteous – they WILL call out a bigot if said bigot is brass enough to wear his views on his shirt for all to see.
My generation and younger are extremely intolerant of racism, despite the influence of our racist parents and grandparents, and I live in the heart of the deep South. It is only a matter of time before the old haters are dead and the progressive youth are running the show. Even conservative youth in this region who hold a condemning view of homosexuality tend more towards a “live and let live” philosophy, especially as conservative extremists become more radical and dangerous in their views. Most normal religious folk don’t want to be associated with hateful stuff like that.
IzzyLuna
@Mav – totally agree. It’s very true when Daniel wrote “Oh when the students teach the teachers.” Cause it IS the old-school, older generation trying to fight the change coming of complete equality.
Judge Judy said it best when she said, “There’s a time in your life when you have to realize the older generation and their mentality…is going to die.”
Avenger
@Mav:
You are very naive.
Hope Johnson
That is my amazing girl
She is both brave and beautiful