Kinda makes me pine for the good old days when the systemic bigotry, censorship, and thought policing was accomplished in EFFECT but not with direct legalese.
If you don't feel like clicking the article link here's the bullet points:
- If this bill is passed it will become a class E FELONY for any teacher or school counselor to assist a youth under 18 in socially transitioning.
- "Assisting" is defined as providing support that is material, informational, or other resources. In other words, an action as simple as telling the youth that something like a chest binder is a thing that exists, or referring to a student with they/them pronouns.
- The felony charge could result in a $10,000 fine and up to 5 years in prison, and the law would also require anyone charged with this "crime" to register as a SEX OFFENDER.
- Being charged with this crime and added to the sex offender list would also have the effect of ending the teacher or counselor's career as, in Missouri, anyone on the sex offender list is prohibited from being within 500 feet of a school or daycare.
A couple of the articles I've read have said it's unlikely to become law here, but I can almost guarantee you that the authors of those articles are not from Missouri. I will not be surprised at all when this becomes the law in this land. The worse things get here the more that I want to leave, but simultaneously, the more I want to stay and fight. But I don't really have a way to fight. 🫤