The sad irony is Reynolds squawking about giving parents liberties in their kids' education with the destructive school voucher and book banning bills, then ripping away those liberties away when it comes to parents protecting their trans kids with medical treatments that could save lives. It's beyond sad irony. It's cruel and heartless and caters to hate and fear-filled people. Reynolds should be ashamed of herself, but she appears to be shameless. My heart goes out to all the trans kids who risk bullying and violence in schools with this unkind bathroom bill, too.
A little story here - several years ago the Fairfield High School went through a brouhaha over gender identity and bathrooms. This was when North Carolina started to make a big to-do about it. My friend's daughter was part of the LGBTQ+ community at the school, and the girl said the bathroom issues was a nonissue. The kids didn't care. It only became an issue when the parents got involved - all the rhetoric followed, fear over sexual abuse, grooming, all that garbage.
But I'll tell you something - childhood sexual abuse is very real, 1 in 3 women were sexually abused as children and 1 in 6 men, according to statistics I learned when I was recovering from my own childhood experience of it. HOWEVER, much of the childhood abuse happens primarily IN FAMILIES or in institutions that are trusted, such as the Catholic Church. Not in high school bathrooms by trans kids, for heaven sakes. It's much easier to blame something outside your circle than look at what might possibly be within it. That may be driving some of this reactive legislation.
If Reynolds and all her legislative sheep were truly concerned about sexual abuse, they would pour a heck of a lot more money into mental health in the state. Childhood sexual abusers were often abused themselves as children. So provide opportunities for their healing before they continue the cycle. But that doesn't serve the purpose of fueling the culture wars. Or facing what might be in one's own closet.
Do you notice that in the picture in this article as well as a picture when the gov signed the school voucher bill that all the people in her pictures are young white girls. It's very disturbing. Her prejudice is showing. No diversity, not in POC, not in anyway pictures that show the variety of children who make up our State. Thank you for your good work on keeping us informed and for sharing your voice which encourages me. Diana
42% of lesbian, gay & bisexual lowa public high school students were bullied on school property in 2019. This compares to 20% of straight students.
MENTAL HEALTH
63% of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. This compares to 28% of straight students.
SUICIDE IDEATION
Nearly half of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students seriously considered suicide in 2019.
This compares to 15% of straiaht students
EXUAL VIOLENCE
27% of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students experienced sexual violence in the past year. This compares to 7% of straight students.
Thank you, Laura, for digging into all of this and presenting the case for the immoral, ignorant views that our governor projects behind that always shallow, often terrifying smile of hers.
Trans people are in deep conflict with themselves. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, not a conservative paper, there are deep divisions within the scientific community as to trans behavior. That some are in deep conflict does not a reason for the entire culture to change.
Amen to that. This disingenuous “heartfelt” statement of the governor fills me with disgust. It is insulting to parents and to transgender kids to pass a law that removes personal health care decisions from individuals and then speak in the same breath about how difficult a decision it was for her to make. I’m surprised she didn’t provide crocodile tears to accompany her performance.
The sad irony is Reynolds squawking about giving parents liberties in their kids' education with the destructive school voucher and book banning bills, then ripping away those liberties away when it comes to parents protecting their trans kids with medical treatments that could save lives. It's beyond sad irony. It's cruel and heartless and caters to hate and fear-filled people. Reynolds should be ashamed of herself, but she appears to be shameless. My heart goes out to all the trans kids who risk bullying and violence in schools with this unkind bathroom bill, too.
A little story here - several years ago the Fairfield High School went through a brouhaha over gender identity and bathrooms. This was when North Carolina started to make a big to-do about it. My friend's daughter was part of the LGBTQ+ community at the school, and the girl said the bathroom issues was a nonissue. The kids didn't care. It only became an issue when the parents got involved - all the rhetoric followed, fear over sexual abuse, grooming, all that garbage.
But I'll tell you something - childhood sexual abuse is very real, 1 in 3 women were sexually abused as children and 1 in 6 men, according to statistics I learned when I was recovering from my own childhood experience of it. HOWEVER, much of the childhood abuse happens primarily IN FAMILIES or in institutions that are trusted, such as the Catholic Church. Not in high school bathrooms by trans kids, for heaven sakes. It's much easier to blame something outside your circle than look at what might possibly be within it. That may be driving some of this reactive legislation.
If Reynolds and all her legislative sheep were truly concerned about sexual abuse, they would pour a heck of a lot more money into mental health in the state. Childhood sexual abusers were often abused themselves as children. So provide opportunities for their healing before they continue the cycle. But that doesn't serve the purpose of fueling the culture wars. Or facing what might be in one's own closet.
Do you notice that in the picture in this article as well as a picture when the gov signed the school voucher bill that all the people in her pictures are young white girls. It's very disturbing. Her prejudice is showing. No diversity, not in POC, not in anyway pictures that show the variety of children who make up our State. Thank you for your good work on keeping us informed and for sharing your voice which encourages me. Diana
Thank you! I could not agree more with everything included in your statement/1
This morning copied from Iowa HHS website
BULLYING AT SCHOOL
42% of lesbian, gay & bisexual lowa public high school students were bullied on school property in 2019. This compares to 20% of straight students.
MENTAL HEALTH
63% of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. This compares to 28% of straight students.
SUICIDE IDEATION
Nearly half of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students seriously considered suicide in 2019.
This compares to 15% of straiaht students
EXUAL VIOLENCE
27% of lesbian, gay, & bisexual lowa public high school students experienced sexual violence in the past year. This compares to 7% of straight students.
She is unfit to hold office.
Appalling. Ignorant and mean are a lethal combination.
Thank you, Laura, for digging into all of this and presenting the case for the immoral, ignorant views that our governor projects behind that always shallow, often terrifying smile of hers.
Trans people are in deep conflict with themselves. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, not a conservative paper, there are deep divisions within the scientific community as to trans behavior. That some are in deep conflict does not a reason for the entire culture to change.
The overwhelming consensus of the medical and public health community does not support these bills.
The Iowa Civil Rights Act has prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender identity for 16 years.
Gender-affirming care has been shown to reduce self-harm and suicidal ideation among people with gender dysphoria.
Amen to that. This disingenuous “heartfelt” statement of the governor fills me with disgust. It is insulting to parents and to transgender kids to pass a law that removes personal health care decisions from individuals and then speak in the same breath about how difficult a decision it was for her to make. I’m surprised she didn’t provide crocodile tears to accompany her performance.