This is the kind of thing that really concerns me about all the rhetoric I see coming from the right, and why it's so concerning to me that many self-described "centrists" don't combat it.
This is the kind of thing that really concerns me about all the rhetoric I see coming from the right, and why it's so concerning to me that many self-described "centrists" don't combat it.
Related article: Why So Many Conservatives Are Talking About ‘Grooming’ All Of A Sudden My entire career I've had to face the intersecting stigmas associated with being a guy that works with kids...
My entire career I've had to face the intersecting stigmas associated with being a guy that works with kids as well as gay. This talking point, aimed at people like me, is insulting, belittling, and demeaning.
It's also pretty much impossible for people like me to speak up against it because being defensive about it makes us look guilty by reflex, and denying something still anchors the association.
I moved away from education near the end of my degree for a few reasons, but a big one was fear over this. Parents are terrifying enough normally, I didn't want to live with the extra burden of...
I moved away from education near the end of my degree for a few reasons, but a big one was fear over this. Parents are terrifying enough normally, I didn't want to live with the extra burden of half of them assuming I'm a pedophile because I'm trans.
That's an indignity you should never have had to face. I know how it feels, and I'm so sorry. That was also a huge worry of mine too when I went into education, and I ended up staying closeted for...
That's an indignity you should never have had to face. I know how it feels, and I'm so sorry. That was also a huge worry of mine too when I went into education, and I ended up staying closeted for the beginning of my career because of it and related concerns. I've also re-closeted myself each time I've changed schools and communities before I can feel out how I'll be received.
Parents are terrifying enough normally
Ain't that the truth. A few weeks ago I had a Zoom call where my team and I got yelled at, chastized, and talked down to by parents for over an hour. The issue at hand? Their child was cyberbullying others (outside of school hours and not on school devices, I might add), but at no point did they feel the fault was with their child or their failure to manage his behavior. We were apparently the bad guys, and they told us so, in no uncertain terms, at high volumes, forcefully, for over an hour.
The call ended and we all pretty much went "well, now we know where he's learning those behaviors".
It's not directly connected AFAIK, but false accusations of child abuse (or leniency towards it) have become a big thing in Republican messaging recently, in part due to QAnon. This is most likely...
It's not directly connected AFAIK, but false accusations of child abuse (or leniency towards it) have become a big thing in Republican messaging recently, in part due to QAnon. This is most likely why it's gained so much popularity, though apparently the whole "OK Groomer" thing was started on 4chan, where calling queer people pedos was commonplace even before Q.
I wish I could say there were a clear line between Republican messaging and QAnon anymore. I've never been a Republican, but I have a few friends and relatives who traditionally were, some for...
I wish I could say there were a clear line between Republican messaging and QAnon anymore.
I've never been a Republican, but I have a few friends and relatives who traditionally were, some for many decades. QAnon has acted like a filter for them. The ones I respected for being decent rational human beings with any hint of wisdom have all gradually renounced the Republican party, or at least hesitate now to associate themselves with it unconditionally.
The others are all happily willing to entertain the cartoonishly nonsensical rhetoric coming out of the darkest corners of the far-right.
QAnon and related conspiratorial thought processes have acted like a sieve for Republicans, letting only the smallest hearts and minds through and forcing those with a shred of decency or critical thinking ability to dissociate themselves from the group.
The bad side of this is obvious: I can't really say that QAnon isn't directly connected to Republican messaging anymore. They are nearly inseparable, and people are being led down into a pit of insanity.
The silver lining is that a handful of people I really care about have distanced themselves from that community and are better off for it.
This is the kind of thing that really concerns me about all the rhetoric I see coming from the right, and why it's so concerning to me that many self-described "centrists" don't combat it.
Related article: Why So Many Conservatives Are Talking About ‘Grooming’ All Of A Sudden
My entire career I've had to face the intersecting stigmas associated with being a guy that works with kids as well as gay. This talking point, aimed at people like me, is insulting, belittling, and demeaning.
It's also pretty much impossible for people like me to speak up against it because being defensive about it makes us look guilty by reflex, and denying something still anchors the association.
It's infuriating.
I moved away from education near the end of my degree for a few reasons, but a big one was fear over this. Parents are terrifying enough normally, I didn't want to live with the extra burden of half of them assuming I'm a pedophile because I'm trans.
That's an indignity you should never have had to face. I know how it feels, and I'm so sorry. That was also a huge worry of mine too when I went into education, and I ended up staying closeted for the beginning of my career because of it and related concerns. I've also re-closeted myself each time I've changed schools and communities before I can feel out how I'll be received.
Ain't that the truth. A few weeks ago I had a Zoom call where my team and I got yelled at, chastized, and talked down to by parents for over an hour. The issue at hand? Their child was cyberbullying others (outside of school hours and not on school devices, I might add), but at no point did they feel the fault was with their child or their failure to manage his behavior. We were apparently the bad guys, and they told us so, in no uncertain terms, at high volumes, forcefully, for over an hour.
The call ended and we all pretty much went "well, now we know where he's learning those behaviors".
I’m sorry. One day trans people will be accepted by the majority. I’m trying to help us get there sooner.
Given that it's about baseless accusations of child abuse, I'm wondering if this is a QAnon thing? (Or they have similar roots.)
It's not directly connected AFAIK, but false accusations of child abuse (or leniency towards it) have become a big thing in Republican messaging recently, in part due to QAnon. This is most likely why it's gained so much popularity, though apparently the whole "OK Groomer" thing was started on 4chan, where calling queer people pedos was commonplace even before Q.
I wish I could say there were a clear line between Republican messaging and QAnon anymore.
I've never been a Republican, but I have a few friends and relatives who traditionally were, some for many decades. QAnon has acted like a filter for them. The ones I respected for being decent rational human beings with any hint of wisdom have all gradually renounced the Republican party, or at least hesitate now to associate themselves with it unconditionally.
The others are all happily willing to entertain the cartoonishly nonsensical rhetoric coming out of the darkest corners of the far-right.
QAnon and related conspiratorial thought processes have acted like a sieve for Republicans, letting only the smallest hearts and minds through and forcing those with a shred of decency or critical thinking ability to dissociate themselves from the group.
The bad side of this is obvious: I can't really say that QAnon isn't directly connected to Republican messaging anymore. They are nearly inseparable, and people are being led down into a pit of insanity.
The silver lining is that a handful of people I really care about have distanced themselves from that community and are better off for it.