This guy salts.

I think you are conflating teaching with discussion. There is no "sexual orientation 101" class. However, LGBT people exist and therefore students might have classmates that raise questions, or the class might want to read a book that features a gay character. Under "don't say gay" laws, none of this would be allowed to be discussed. Neither would many historical topics revolving around civil rights. This severely limits perspectives and harms teaching possibilities, not to mention removes valuable resources from children that might need it the most.

Also, I learned about many religions in public school. School shouldn't tell you which way is the "right" way to be, but it should educate students that there are many people of many different religions out there, and explore the historical and cultural significance of them. Discussion of LGBT topics should be the exact same way.

I find that to be a narrow minded point of view. It is up to schools to prepare children for life in a functioning society. A society in which LGBT people exist. They learn about money in math class, love in literature, race in history class, and sex in sex ed. Why should orientation or identity be any different? It seems like a very natural thing to learn in something like a social studies class.

Says who? You could say that about any subject.

User has been deleted but so that other people don't see this information and become misinformed:

1. detransitioning rates among the trans community are extremely low. Like 3% or less.
2. Suicide rates among trans people who are NOT given affirming care are very high, yes. With all the bullying and transphobia, one can imagine why. However, gender affirming care is the number one thing recommended by both doctors and therapists in order to ensure the safety of trans youth.

Teachers don't talk about sex in any class other than sex ed. Sexual orientation includes both romantic and "sexual" attraction and therefore you can absolutely talk about sexual orientation, gender identity, etc without talking about sex. Conversations like "you're allowed to have a crush on someone the same gender as you" or "sometimes people have two dads" or "Billy wants you to call her Tammy now" have nothing to do with sex.

Again, no one is saying teachers NEED to discuss these things. Just that they should be allowed to. And it goes beyond teachers. "Don't say gay" bills would ban library books, restrict counselors, and enforce censorship filters, taking away resources from kids who WANT to learn more about why they are the way they are. And I think that's cruel.

I grew up in the 90s.

Sex- the biological makeup of genitals and chromosomes you were born with

Gender- society's roles, expectations, cultural differences, etc around the sexes and how it is expressed

Gender identity- how you personally express your gender

This has never not been true. I'm also not a democrat. You're just wrong and saying that you're not over and over again doesn't make you right.

Trans people don't deny that they were born the sex that they were. they never have. Rather, they would like to present and be seen as the sex they were not born as. After all, your perception is your reality. And many succeed in doing so. I guarantee you've walked past a trans person and never even known it. If they are happier that way and hurting no one, what's the problem?

As in my case, it's very common for kids to be educated about puberty BEFORE it happens, so late elementary school.

Also the LGBT school debate isn't about whether teachers should be required to teach children about sexual/romantic orientation and gender. It's become about whether they're ALLOWED to at all. And I see literally no valid reason why not. Teachers are not corrupting children's minds. Thanks to social media, kids are learning about sexual topics, identity topics, etc younger and younger. There are 10 y.o. kids out there experiencing romantic attraction, learning about sex acts, exploring gender and sexual identity, etc whether they're too young to or not. Better that they be more educated, more safe, and less confused.

You are factually wrong. Gender relates to the societal perception and expression and cultural expectations of and around the sexes. It is not the same as biological sex. Pull out a dictionary as old as you want and look it up. Then change your username.

When do you think kids start going through puberty? Especially girls? We were given "the talk" in elementary school and we absolutely would've been fine if there was any discussion of gender or orientation as well. If you can handle being told "you're going to start to grow boobs and pubic hair and bleeding out of your vagina", you're old enough to be to be told "it's ok if you have a crush on the same sex, there's nothing wrong with you and don't let anyone tell you otherwise".

Imagine being this obsessed with how complete strangers feel and what they do in private. Sounds like you're the creep.

Textbooks have literally always said this. That's the definition of gender. Sex is biological and gender is about societal expression. I'm 26 and I learned it that way in school because it's literally the definition and always has been.