School celebrated a Muslim LGBT activist on International Women’s day!

[Threemangoes]

AIBU to be annoyed at the school? I’m baffled as why have the school missed an opportunity here. They already celebrate lgbt history month and then pride in June at school.

Why is this issue that affects a very tiny minority is so heavily influenced in children’s curriculum?

But in this instance her achievements are tied to her sexuality as well as her womanhood because she has overcome discrimination as a woman and as a lesbian and has used those experiences to become an activist and help others. So in this case specifically its right that her sexuality was part of her talk. If she had been a Muslim Lesbian race car driver who came and talked solely about being lesbian (not that I personally would have issue with that) then I could see your point. But that isn't the case here. How does she talk about her achievements as a woman becoming an influential lgbt activist without discussing sexuality??

Ah, the irony of not wanting to push sexuality in people's faces while whining about your religion that you're pushing onto your children.

And Muslim! Don't forget, the OP made sure to mention that as well. But OP isn't phobic; in fact, the only phobics are the people calling out her phobia.

Sorry @Lavender14 I missed the post where OP said she's an activist but just filtered to OP's posts and you're completely right.

Thank you all for your comments. This is exactly why I posted here to see all kinds of views. It has been interesting and I'm glad not everyone had the same view.
Ofcourse I'm in touch with the school.
I'm done so will not be following any more.

@Threemangoes in contact with the school? mmm,
I don’t think you are though. I think you’re exactly the kind of person to hide behind a keyboard where it’s safe to be as homophobic as you like, but complaining that the woman the school chose to talk about on IWD happened to be gay - and you don’t like that - I ‘d bet my house you wouldn’t actually say that to the school.

Dear Chunka

I can see that you have been desperate in your attempts to want me to be a homophobic hateful kkk White supremist... all because I'm a little annoyed by my primary school focusing on lgbtq+ equality a little too much.

Sorry that I'm not a homophobic hateful kkk whitesupremist.

But I can't change your assumptions I guess.

I still thank you for contributing to this thread.

You weren't looking for other views, you've been pretty hostile to anyone who disagrees.

I do wonder OP whether it is unconscious bias, you may not realise you are homophobic, it doesn't mean that you are not.

Either way it's clear that the majority on this thread don't agree with your views on this.

I would like to think of myself as an LGBT ally. While I am not as on top of the discourse as I could/should be, I am aware that many in the LGBT community were historically imprisoned, harassed, took their own lives to give the person quoted the freedom to express their fatigue with a Pride Festival which, to some extent, marks and honours that sacrifice.

OP you have said many times that you are not homophobic. You have a right to describe yourself in any way you like. You may not see yourself that way, but I would say that the ideas you espouse here are homophobic.

Someone told me that when it comes to discrimination you can't be neutral. You are either anti homophobic or you support homophobic ideas. It's simple enough to test ideas against this simple criteria. Is the view you expressed in your op anti homophobic? No. Because it makes out it was somehow unnecessary and negative to honour this particular woman.

If we replace LGBT in your post with Muslim then it is very clear. I bet there are a few parents who went home after the talk and said something like "They chose a Muslim woman AGAIN. Why do we have to have Islam stuffed down our throats all the time?" If the school chooses one of the women you are going to suggest to them for next year you may well face such criticism. And I would support you if you called such criticism racist.

Spot on.
Women are rarely talked about in the context of the alphabet soup. It's completely male dominated.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

If I was a banana and they spoke about bananas 2 calendar months of the school year and then chose a banana activist for advocating being a banana again on IWD then quite frankly I'd start getting sick of bananas myself🍌😂

Why can't other fruits get a chance. Hope this helps.

@LuluLehman Someone told me that when it comes to discrimination you can't be neutral. You are either anti homophobic or you support homophobic ideas. It's simple enough to test ideas against this simple criteria.

I think that is a very difficult line to draw as discrimination is not always clear cut. As pp have said there are a lot of Lesbians on this thread and they are very unlikely to agree 100% on where the line is.

Is it anti disabled that designers of disabled toilets don’t include a chair/stool for people with a stoma to sit on so they can empty their reusable bag directly into the toilet? It’s not a visible disability nor a well known barrier so is it anti disabled if disabled toilets/facilities meet the needs of people in wheelchairs but not all disabled people or is it unconscious bias?.

I very much doubt everyone on this thread will agree exactly where the line is between being anti trans and supporting trans ideas. Many of us are considered transphobic for protecting women’s rights whilst understanding the challenges trans people face.

@Lavender14 said “If she had been a Muslim Lesbian race car driver who came and talked solely about being lesbian (not that I personally would have issue with that) then I could see your point.”

Other posters have made a similar point e.g. engineer etc.

I think a large proportion of the 40% who have voted YANBU are not homophobic but agree with Lavender14 and can see why a Lesbian Muslim Woman is a rarity and on IWD it would be fantastic for children to hear about their achievements and barriers they face e.g. getting an education, arranged marriage, becoming a racing driver etc. rather than focusing on their sexuality which they could do on the other 364 days a year.

Flouncers never stay gone.

I’ve swapped words for you as well. Again confirms what you really are:

’and then chose a black activist for advocating being black again on IWD then quite frankly I'd start getting sick of black people myself’

🤡

‘I do wonder OP whether it is unconscious bias’

comparing gay people to bananas is more than unconscious bias, @Threemangoes is just an out and out homophobe sick of ‘hearing’ about gay people and offended that anyone would think a gay woman might be worthy of praise, esp being openly lesbian.

I hope for their sake that none of her/his kids are gay.

to be fair to me she made that comparison after my post on unconscious bias!

I totally agree with you.

That banana comment was , well, enlightening.

You say "2 calendar months of the school year" as if normal lessons are suspended and children hear about nothing but the LGBT agenda during those months. Really during LGBT history month/Pride, if schools cover them at all, it will still amount to a small proportion of school time - and children will continue to learn about all kinds of other things that are nothing to do with sexuality. So unlikely to be enough time to get 'sick of it' unless you have a very low threshold for it sickening you.

I hope to god that none of your kids pick up on your habit of labelling other people with different views.
We already have enough of those getting offended left, right and centre.

"I'm done so will not be following any more."

I kind of understand your point of view if it's
I'm all for celebrating women who have made/are making a contribution to humanity, particularly if their actions required skill, grit, bravery etc. I'm just disappointed they chose to focus on one whos cause is lesbian Muslim women's rights.

You say it's irritating because LGBTQ is being 'done to death' and you feel we should be focusing on a wider cause that's more inclusive in terms of numbers. I agree the % of women that are lesbian Muslims will likely be low. Would you have preferred say Professor Sarah Gilbert for her work towards the Covid vaccine? Or Dame Kelly Holmes for her sporting achievements and promoting sports inclusion?
Did the celebrations focus on just one woman?

I'd also like to add that maybe by your logic Rosa Parks should not be chosen after all there's BLM already .....plus I'm white so it doesn't effect me.....except it does! BLM to me, as do LQBTQ rights. I'm unlikely to be trafiked but I care. I don't have cancer but my neighbours and my neigbours neighbours might. I don't think it's about the cause so much but highlighting that women can make a difference and we won't calm down!

@JudgeRudy the % of all lesbians is small c1.5%. I state this as a fact, not to diminish the difficulties and struggles lesbians have had to face, and still face.

Would you have preferred say Professor Sarah Gilbert for her work towards the Covid vaccine? Or Dame Kelly Holmes for her sporting achievements and promoting sports inclusion?

I can’t speak for the op, but this would be my preference on IWD. Focusing on inspiring primary school children, particularly girls, by illustrating the fantastic opportunities they have.

Many, not all, teachers may have gone, -school-university-teaching, so have relatively limited experience of the wide range of careers available. The ability to bring women with different career experiences can expand their pupils options.