This commentary is by Ann D. Watson, a lifelong Vermonter, born and raised in Putney and now a 25-year resident of New Haven. She was an elementary school librarian for 35 years and is now a genealogist and family history writer.
I was disturbed to read of state GOP chair Paul Dame and Burlington GOP chair Christopher-Aaron Felker using the same lies about LGBTQ+ that are all too prevalent in the conversation elsewhere in our country.
Specifically, calling sponsors of H.659 “groomers,” dismissing scientific evidence that LGBTQ+ youth experience elevated rates of depression and suicide, and calling trans a mental illness.
I wonder if those who try to repress and criminalize LGBTQ kids and their allies are acquainted with anyone with a different gender identity. Do they know from the inside what it means to be something other than “male” or “female”? Do they have any idea what it is to be the parent of an LGBTQ+ child?
If you don’t know about what it means to be LGBTQ+, or what it means to be nonbinary or trans, or wonder how you can be an ally, then you can educate yourself. The Trevor Project has good information. The CDC has an information page. Find a book to read. Find organizations and people who can help you learn. Be an ally. Help our kids. Call out xenophobia when you see it.
The idea that people “groom” kids to be trans or nongender-conforming is ludicrous. It takes away from the horror of real pedophiles who groom kids so they can molest and assault them. It adds to the horror of violence against nongender-conforming people.
Perhaps Dame and Felker assume that Vermonters are fearful of anything they don’t know much about. Maybe they are hoping to tap into assumed fear and ignorance in an attempt to get politicians of their ilk elected. Maybe they think Vermonters are willing to follow hatred, fear, and intolerance of differences.
They are wrong.
We don’t need more hatred in Vermont; we need less. Those who espouse Dame and Felker’s lies are selling pure, unadulterated hatred. This can lead to events such as the recent killing of a 29-year-old transgender woman in Morristown.
There is so much suffering in the world. We must choose: Do we want to do our best to alleviate suffering, or do we want to create more suffering? Do we want to support our kids, or deeply hurt them?
The “Take Back Vermont” campaign in 2000 didn’t work. And this campaign attacking LGBTQ+ people isn’t going to work either. Vermonters are smarter than this.
What’s more important, Vermonters care about our kids. We support our young people to be who they are. There is no place in Vermont for fearmongering, hatred and lies.
