24 hours after causing a national uproar, that antigay Arizona lawmaker who wants to outlaw the word “homosexuality” is backing down, but she wants everyone to know that they’ve “misinterpreted” her intentions.
Earlier this week, State Senator Sylvia Allen, a Republican from the town of Snowflake, proposed a bill that would scrub the word “homosexuality” from all teaching materials used by schools.
Many believe that Allen, who is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people, was attempting to undo the 2019 repeal of the state’s “no promo homo” law, a decades-old law that forbid educators from “promoting homosexual lifestyles.”
Arizona School Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said she was “appalled” by Allen’s proposed bill, telling a local media outlet that it “appears to undo the progress we have made as a state” and “could put the state at risk of another lawsuit.”
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But after Queerty and several other national media outlets covered the story, Allen decided to quit playing word police. In a statement issued this morning, she says that, on second thought, the word “homosexuality” can stay.
“Several news outlets have reported that my bill to provide parents more access and information on sexual education courses also prohibits the inclusion of homosexuality as part of any chosen curricula,” she says. “They are misinterpreting the language. That was absolutely not my intention.”
Except that the bill did attempt to prohibit the inclusion of homosexuality in teaching materials.
Allen continues, “I regret that it has diverted attention from the main goal of the bill, which is to assist parents with more access and transparency, so that they could make informed decisions about the health and welfare of their children.”
“I will post an amendment today that removes the provision that has raised concerns,” she says. “With this clarification, I aim to return the conversation on this bill back to my original intent–to provide meaningful opportunities for parents to engage and be contributory on this very important issue.”
This isn’t the first time Allen, who believes the earth is approximately 6,000 years old, has come under criticism for pushing harebrained agendas.
In 2015, she suggested there be a law forcing people to go to church to help facilitate America’s “moral rebirth.” And in July 2019, she warned white Republicans that if they don’t reproduce faster, “we’re going to look like South American countries very quickly.”
Related: This Arizona state senator wants to make the word “homosexuality” illegal
Cam
Republican bigots are always cowards and run scared when the light shines on their bigotry.
startenout
Not always. Look at the current White House
rustyiam
Too late the mob has already tried and convicted you! Your total destruction on this earth is the only acceptable outcome! And no this doesn’t mean I’m “ defending a homophobic right wing bigot”!
Scribe38
Yes you are. But no one is surprised.
Cam
In other words, you can’t defend her, because your job is to support Republican bigots. So all you have left is to play victim.
By all means, defend her if you can….with proof.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
What’s the going rate per post at the troll farm these days? 0.02 per?
startenout
That’s exactly what it means. Don’t be a coward AND a bigot.
ATX1954
She was an Eagle Forum leader from 1980 to 1990. That’s all I need to know.
Kangol2
Yep, she’s a right-wing homophobic dotard through and through!
loren_1955
Snowflake AZ, home and center of some of the most conservative Mormons, Mormons who keep trying to push their religious agenda on everyone else.
justgeo
Get a new wig and vag you hag!
Man About Town
Sounds like the refrain of a hip-hop number. Mazel tov!
boymikefl
How in God’s name does this witch have a job? Lot’s of gay haters in Meghan McCain’s beloved Arizona.
sillyme
All the gay haters will have to pay a price sooner or later, for what they say will come back to haunt them later trust me on that part. Karma does get even to them in the long run for it keeps a tally and then puts them back into their place or places by some manner and she may have a gay grandchild that we may not know of just yet and she would be the type to do like the old old part of gay conversion therapy.
dmi210
Can someone in Arizona propose a law making Sylvia Allen illegal?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
There is no misinterpreted fact that she is an evil noxious crunt…
Someone needs to toss a bucket of water on that witch….
scotty
snowflake you say?
JAWIWA
I love that you’re doing more original reporting! But I must tell you that the past tense of “forbid” is forbade. And I swear I don’t mean that bitchy.