I covered Mark Reynolds's statement in the CONO School Board Forum, and am sharing my opinion regarding his statement here.
Alyssa Patrick asked how School Board members should handle issues surrounding LGBTQIA+ issues & black history.
I typically don't insert my opinion into my journalism, as it is my job to merely report. However, being a queer person, I have a good amount of experience with rhetoric like Mark's and I have seen it affect people's view regarding LGBTQIA+ people, even leading people to support discriminatory policies.
I feel it is my duty to address this. I previously published this opinion in the article about the forum. In an effort to respect my duty as a reporter, I have separated my opinion into this isolated opinion piece and linked it from the article.
Mark Reynolds's Response
"I'm very sensitive about what our children are being taught, especially about sex. Sexuality to me is an age appropriate type of subject." He says "I wanna protect the innocence of our [1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade] kids."
"I don't feel it's appropriate for them to be immersed in the LGBTQ agenda and the ideologies that go with it. Innocence only lasts for a short period period of time, and I wanna give our children the ability to be innocent for as long as possible."
"Someone asked me awhile ago about banning books that I thought were objectionable, I don't believe in banning books, but I believe in books being age appropriate for the audience, so I don't want a 3rd grader reading about two men having sex together. I don't want them reading about two women having sex together."
"If we found it appropriate at 7th, 8th, 9th grade, fine, but I want to protect the children from things coming out of Springfield that I find abhorrent. There are laws that I object to and I strongly fall on the side of protecting the kids."
My opinion
My opinion is regarding Mark's rhetoric, not Mark himself. This is my opinion:
I'm 30 years old, I'm pansexual, non-binary, & I use they/them pronouns. I've been "eccentric" and "weird" my entire life, but it was only around age 25 that I started to find myself. I spent most my life in the closet, hiding even from myself, thinking I was a straight man, because I was afraid and ignorant.
People like me exist. We're real people. We have feelings. We work. We love. We get hurt & angry. We're people. If there is any "LGBTQ agenda", it is to have rights & freedoms & be respected and allowed in public spaces and public life. The accusation that lgbtqia+ people want to expose 8 year olds to graphic sex is a lie, propagated by bigots and people who don't know better.
This lie is why Decatur Illinois Pride, which I'm a member of, received harassment and threats last year before Pride Fest, with some people online literally calling for our genocide. I called the FBI, spoke with Decatur Police, and Park District Police so we would have police, armed with guns, to protect us. I was afraid of a mass shooting, and it's because of lies propagated by hateful people and uninformed people.
It is scary being queer because of these lies and because of legislation in red states that take away our rights.