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?

Why would a lesbian find it insulting that people talked about lesbianism?

It's not something to be ashamed of. Or do you genuinely think we all go around secretly beating our breasts and muttering 'dear Lord, I hope no one notices or mentions that I am a lesbian'.

It's like if she'd come in to talk about being a woman engineer, and you'd been offended she talked about engineering.

You don't get it. It's about INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY and their achievements as a woman. Not as a sexuality. Do you really genuinely not comprehend the difference between discussing influential women and their achievements on International Womens Day , and discussing being a lesbian any other time of the year? Do you seriously not understand this?

‘Our children need a wide variety of exposure to all issues and problems in the world. Not just lgbt believe it or not.’

If your school is only focussing on issues affecting LGBTQ + people
most of the year, and ignoring the war in Ukraine, conflict, refugee crisis, the cost of living crisis and how it can affect children, the environment and the problems affecting the world in that from, all other history, other female - and male- roles models from history and the world around us then I’d suggest that you should look to move your kids.

or at least have your school let the kids watch Newsround because they’re great at covering a wide range of topics and current affairs in a way that’s appropriate for primary age children.

Personally, I think you’re using exaggeration to try to make yourself seem less bigoted.

Lol, er, no. You are actually making my point there. It's like as if she'd come in to talk about being a woman Engineer, and instead the focus was on her sexual preference.

Do you get it now?

@ItsShiela that's a bit strong when you don't even know the content! Anyway, I'd say lesbianism is pretty woman-centred...

@Threemangoes I’ll say it for you slowly.
learning that gay people exist will NOT turn your child gay. Anymore than knowing Muslim people exist will turn them Muslim.

The day is supposed to be about celebrating the achievements of women.

Not reducing them to their sexuality.

Yes.
Her sexuality and being a Muslim lesbian.
I don't know.. The school could have broaden the children's knowledge by choosing a role model that focuses on things other than their sexuality.
Because that's already celebrated enough as it is. Other issues also needs highlighting.
I can name a thousand accomplished women (Muslim women) who need celebrating not just because who they love but what they have achieved through hard work and determination.

No, you don't understand. She came in to talk about being a Muslim lesbian woman, and she talked about being a Muslim lesbian woman. It is exactly as if she'd come in to talk about being a woman engineer and you were objecting that she talked about being a woman engineer.

Being gay is not the only problem for our girls in this day and age. How about we also give other issues a chance as well ehh?

But part of her experience of being a woman is her being a lesbian. Lesbians are still women, you know.

No where did the OP say she came in to give a talk.

It's about celebrating a woman's achievement. Not being a lesbian. It's reductive, misogynist and sexist to reduce a woman's worth to her sexuality. No one cares. What's important is what a woman achieves. That should be the topic. Not their sexual preference. You simply don't get it. Your posts show that if a woman Engineer was nominated, her sexuality should be talked about. That's what you're saying. Sexual preference is totally irrelevant. I can't believe the internalised misogyny on this thread. Women are more than our sexual orientation!!!

It's about her achievements as a woman. Not her 'experiences' in her sexuality.

@ItsShiela reducing them to their sexuality.
Again, you weren't there. You don't know the content, the tone or even who the person was. You're extrapolating from the very limited information provided by OP. Talking about sexuality isn't automatically reductive anyway.

Ah, ok, I think I just assumed that she came to talk. But does it matter?

Being a lesbian is part of some women's experience of being a woman. It is inextricable from the 'woman' part, because it has to do with being a woman who loves other women. And actually, plenty of people do care. In many Muslim countries, it's illegal. Surely you can see how that matters? And how it is connected to patriarchy?

I don't think you've understood my point about a woman engineer at all, and I don't know how to explain it better.

Yes, women are more than our sexual orientation - but that doesn't mean sexual orientation is shameful, or something we are 'reduced to'. It's an important thing.

@ItsShiela she may be someone for whom the mere fact that she exists and is alive and visible enough to be talked about in schools as a lesbian is an achievement, before we even get to whatever else she does. But, again, you have no idea what the content was and you're arguing a point that doesn't exist.

Who are you referring to there when you say "our girls?"
You realise ALL girls are girls right, and it's not just one lot who get to have a voice but not others?!
We're all girls, women.

But, again, you have no idea what the content was
Exactly! None of us was there.
Was the OP there in fact? Still hasn't said.

But no, let's celebrate Muslim gay women who make up less than 1% of women(approx correct me if I'm wrong).

Crikey

If she's an activist then she has probably achieved things in activism. Why is she not an accomplished Muslim woman?

Are you going to bother telling us who it is?

The woman is Muslim.
The woman loves and has relationships with other women.
That in itself is enough to put her at a higher risk of physical assault, sexual assault and corrective rape as the religion is not forgiving towards homosexuality.
If her activism has done anything to reduce or alleviate the risk to women in her demographic then that is noteworthy, regardless of whether or not it is of interest to the OP.

Muslim homosexuality is under represented in the statistics because there is such a fear of repercussion that it remains hidden.

Bloody hell, OP, bigoted much????

Can you not appreciate the courage it must take to be a Muslim woman and come out as gay? She is absolutely the kind of positive, strong and trailblazing woman we and our daughters should be celebrating on IWD.

It actually doesn't matter what ethnicity OP is. I don't care if she is black white or purple. Her post is bigoted and ignorant.

Do you honestly think that I (a person of colour) do not understand the ways in which I am also influenced by racist ideas and thinking? Well, I am. The difference between me and the OP is that I know that and work to rectify it and endeavour to work for antiracism.

But what if this causes further trouble on top of what they are already facing.

What if muslim girls in Britain and around the world are pulled further away from schools and education because of this.