• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Louisiana Lawmakers Don’t Think Gay People Get Bullied

April 19, 2012 by Andrew Belonsky

BullyRemember earlier when I wondered whether Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni lived on another planet for denying that anti-gay discrimination exists? Well, Louisiana conservatives may live in that outer space realm, as well.

Via Joe.My.God comes word that a House committee in Louisiana rejected an LGBT anti-bullying bill because they basically don't think being gay would invoke a bully's ire.

…Civil rights and gay rights advocates failed Wednesday to win approval for a more detailed and, advocates say, stronger anti-bullying law for public schools. Rep. Pat Smith, D-Baton Rouge, pitched House Bill 407 as necessary, given continued evidence of bullying, including a recent suicide by a Point Coupee teenager who had complained to adults many times about being mistreated by her classmates.

Opponents, lead by the conservative Louisiana Family Forum and aides to Gov. Bobby Jindal, argued that the measure went too far by listing perceived or actual characteristics that should not subject a student to bullying. The committee voted 10-5 to strip the bill of those key changes, which included sexual orientation. Smith shelved the measure, saying the action gutted its intent.

Current law requires local school boards to write policies that prohibit "harassment, intimidation and bullying." It defines those terms, in part, as, "any intentional gesture or written, verbal or physical act that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have the effective of harming a student or damaging his property or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm."

Smith proposed several tweaks and additions, but the most pertinent passage extended the definition to acts "a reasonable person under the circumstances would perceive as being motivated by an actually or perceived characteristic, including but not limited to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, exceptionalities, physical disability, intellectual disability, developmental disability, mental illness or emotional health disorder, language ability, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, gender identity, gender expression, political ideas or affiliations, socioeconomic status or association with others identified by such characteristics."

Louisiana Family Forum president Gene Mills said the bill "introduces sexual politics" into the classroom, according to The Times-Picayune. I don't know what kind of atmosphere Mills, Jindal and their friends have on this hypothetical planet, but it's not oxygen.

Filed Under: Louisiana, News Tagged With: Bobby Jindal, discrimination, Louisiana, News

Recent Posts

  • Justin Timberlake, ‘The Apprentice’, John Foley, Cher, Jeremy Bulloch, Chaz Bono, Eric Garcetti, Denver Riggleman: HOT LINKS

    Justin Timberlake, ‘The Apprentice’, John Foley, Cher, Jeremy Bulloch, Chaz Bono, Eric Garcetti, Denver Riggleman: HOT LINKS

    16 hours ago
  • 11 Drag Queens Take On Meryl Streep’s Iconic Roles in Performance of The Prom’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ — WATCH

    11 Drag Queens Take On Meryl Streep’s Iconic Roles in Performance of The Prom’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ — WATCH

    19 hours ago
  • Acting Defense Sec’y Chris Miller Orders Pentagon to Stop Cooperating with Biden Transition Team

    Acting Defense Sec’y Chris Miller Orders Pentagon to Stop Cooperating with Biden Transition Team

    19 hours ago
  • HRC Calls on Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Apologize for Ridiculing Gender Pronouns in Series of Tweets

    HRC Calls on Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Apologize for Ridiculing Gender Pronouns in Series of Tweets

    20 hours ago
Previous Post: « ‘Dark Shadows’ Actor Jonathan Frid Has Died
Next Post: GetEQUAL Bringing Some Muscle To Non-Discrimination Action »

Primary Sidebar

  • Justin Timberlake, ‘The Apprentice’, John Foley, Cher, Jeremy Bulloch, Chaz Bono, Eric Garcetti, Denver Riggleman: HOT LINKS

  • 11 Drag Queens Take On Meryl Streep’s Iconic Roles in Performance of The Prom’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ — WATCH

  • Acting Defense Sec’y Chris Miller Orders Pentagon to Stop Cooperating with Biden Transition Team

Recent Posts

  • Justin Timberlake, ‘The Apprentice’, John Foley, Cher, Jeremy Bulloch, Chaz Bono, Eric Garcetti, Denver Riggleman: HOT LINKS

    Justin Timberlake, ‘The Apprentice’, John Foley, Cher, Jeremy Bulloch, Chaz Bono, Eric Garcetti, Denver Riggleman: HOT LINKS

    16 hours ago
  • 11 Drag Queens Take On Meryl Streep’s Iconic Roles in Performance of The Prom’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ — WATCH

    11 Drag Queens Take On Meryl Streep’s Iconic Roles in Performance of The Prom’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ — WATCH

    19 hours ago
  • Acting Defense Sec’y Chris Miller Orders Pentagon to Stop Cooperating with Biden Transition Team

    Acting Defense Sec’y Chris Miller Orders Pentagon to Stop Cooperating with Biden Transition Team

    19 hours ago
  • HRC Calls on Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Apologize for Ridiculing Gender Pronouns in Series of Tweets

    HRC Calls on Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Apologize for Ridiculing Gender Pronouns in Series of Tweets

    20 hours ago
  • Dr. Jill Biden Tells Stephen Colbert She Was Surprised by Tone of Attacks on Her Title; President-Elect Calls Lindsey Graham a ‘Personal Disappointment’ in Wide-Ranging Interview: WATCH

    Dr. Jill Biden Tells Stephen Colbert She Was Surprised by Tone of Attacks on Her Title; President-Elect Calls Lindsey Graham a ‘Personal Disappointment’ in Wide-Ranging Interview: WATCH

    20 hours ago
  • Police Investigating Hate Crime After Gay Couple Finds Gingerbread Men Xmas Decorations Smeared with Feces, Placed Near Pride Flag

    Police Investigating Hate Crime After Gay Couple Finds Gingerbread Men Xmas Decorations Smeared with Feces, Placed Near Pride Flag

    21 hours ago
  • Democrats Urged to Fight for Bigger Relief Checks as Lame-Duck Trump Privately Backs Payments as Big as $2,000

    Democrats Urged to Fight for Bigger Relief Checks as Lame-Duck Trump Privately Backs Payments as Big as $2,000

    22 hours ago
  • Michael Flynn: Trump Can Take Military and Re-Run Election in Swing States — WATCH

    Michael Flynn: Trump Can Take Military and Re-Run Election in Swing States — WATCH

    22 hours ago
  • Mike Pence Receives COVID Vaccine: LIVE VIDEO

    Mike Pence Receives COVID Vaccine: LIVE VIDEO

    22 hours ago
  • Gloria Gaynor, Herd Immunity, Louie Gohmert, Dianne Feinstein, Ian McKellen, Tyson, WAP, Billy Porter: HOT LINKS

    Gloria Gaynor, Herd Immunity, Louie Gohmert, Dianne Feinstein, Ian McKellen, Tyson, WAP, Billy Porter: HOT LINKS

    2 days ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2020 · Log in