A new election day boogeyman for social conservatives?

[MadelineB]

A new election day boogeyman for social conservatives?
By Jon Healey
November 1, 2012, 7:00 a.m.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-traditional-values-coalition-transgender-scare-tactic-20121031,0,2387747.story


The Traditional Values Coalition announced a new "awareness campaign" about Democrats who support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. (Traditional Values Coalition / October 31, 2012)

At the risk of sounding like a troll, have social conservatives replaced "homosexual teachers" with "transgendered teachers" as their scare tactic of choice?

"Traditional Values Coalition is running awareness campaigns in 7 states to inform voters which candidates for U.S. Senate support putting transgender teachers in the classroom," the release declares (emphasis in the original).  "The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is radical legislation that hurts kids and forces schools to hire or retain transgendered teachers in every school district in America." [Press Release, 10/31/2012]

Actually, it doesn't....

But my point here isn't to debate the merits of ENDA. It's simply to note that in raising the issue... the Traditional Values Coalition focuses exclusively on the threat of children being taught by "cross-dressers" and "those who have surgically operated on their bodies to alter their gender."

ENDA applies to plain ol' gays and lesbians too. Is the coalition saying they're just not scary anymore?

[suzifrommd]

Actually, I can see their point.

I'm a Transgender high school teacher (not yet out, but maybe a matter of time).

If I were to come out, my presence would definitely serve as an encouragement for transgender students to examine their own feelings and maybe act on them.

Many parents see transition and crossdressing as immoral and their responsibility to make sure their children don't go down that road. To someone with that point of view we actually DO pose a threat.

Of course I disagree with them and think I'm doing those poor kids a service by providing a sympathetic ear and a role model to show that transgender is not something weird. But not everyone sees it that way.

[eshaver]

Madeline , a great deal of this so called "Traditional Values"  spawned about as a result of the old "Moral Majority". Look, I once knew Jerry Falwell. Knew him and his phobias first hand and yes , I also worked with some of his family who thankfully wern't at all like the hateful biggot he was . Meanwhile , I currently dealing with the same ole S---- on my own sons, school. Babtists for the most part are VERY unwilling to even give an AUDIENCE to even HEARING something that's not already been heard . I'm banned from even going on the property on account of the assistant principlal seeing me in a pair of women's Flats . Hell, I wear them all the time and I was simply helping my son get his stuff out of my car. At home , I teach my son God made ALL people , some are even different ! I also preach the aspect of at least lisenting , hey, ya might even LEARN SOMETHING NEW !!!!!!!!!! ellen

[tekla]

They just say anything anymore - they are living in a post-facts age.

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

"We don't want Blacks teaching our kids."  Sound familiar?  These bigots just go after the latest group wanting equal rights.

[Jamie D]

Ah yes, another ENDA article.

How is it morally superior, or less bigoted, or anti-fascist to have the power to pass the legislation, and utterly fail to do so (as the "social liberals" failed to do between 2009 to 2011), than to oppose it?

Isn't this a distinction without a difference?

A pox on both their houses.

[MadelineB]

Ah yes, another ENDA article.

How is it morally superior, or less bigoted, or anti-fascist to have the power to pass the legislation, and utterly fail to do so (as the "social liberals" failed to do between 2009 to 2011), than to oppose it?

Isn't this a distinction without a difference?

A pox on both their houses.

I don't think the opinion piece was making a statement about either of the political parties, but rather was pointing out that legislators who do support ENDA are being attacked for it by a an anti-secular group, and they are basing their entire attack on the premise that transgender rights and transgender people are a danger to society that must be suppressed.

It was only last year in many places that the same kind of attacks were launched with gay-bashing as the premise instead of trans-bashing, but the author sees that changing and sees transgender people as the new focus for these groups' hateful attention.

[opheliaxen]

I feel like we should be able to sue on something like that.  They are basically calling us all pedophiles with no justification.  Its crazy that that's okay?  What a world