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What does a lesbian Democratic state representative in Alabama have in common with a Republican who is a power player in the conservative group Eagle Forum? They’re working together to tear down the state’s archaic law about teaching sex ed in public schools. According to Tim Lockette of The Anniston Star, Patricia Todd (pictured right) the only gay state representative, has long wanted to remove a clause in the 1992 sex education law that demanded “that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense.
“I don’t know if anybody is actually teaching this, to be honest with you” Todd told Lockette. “But the fact that this is even in the law is an insult.”
After the 2003 decision in the Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court case, homosexuality is no longer a criminal offense anywhere in the U.S. but Todd worries that teachers might not know that — or might not care. After trying and failing to push through a bill to remove the phrase from the current law, says Lockette, Todd joined ranks with Mary Sue McClurkin, a Republican state representative who heads the House Education Policy Committee, to repeal the law altogether.
“Sex education is best taught by the parents,” said McClurkin. “We should take out any state requirement to teach sex education.” McClurkin told The Anniston Star she and Todd may co-sponsor a bill that would “undo Alabama’s current sex education law” using bipartisan support in the House.
Read more at The Anniston Star.
Diane Anderson-Minshall is CEO and editorial director of Pride Media, the parent company of PRIDE, Out, The Advocate, Plus, and Out Traveler.
Diane Anderson-Minshall is CEO and editorial director of Pride Media, the parent company of PRIDE, Out, The Advocate, Plus, and Out Traveler.
