A Landscape with Hope

I’m fired up. I don’t usually write when I feel like this, so we’ll see how it goes. I’ll begin by offering thanks for the backspace and my bicycle.

I attended a test screening of “Add the Words” last Friday at the ISU theater.  The documentary chronicles protesters during the 2014 Idaho Legislature who want the words “sexual orientation and gender identity” added to the Idaho Human Rights Act. I went in to the show skeptical and feeling like I needed to see the perspective portrayed. I agree with the protesters that those words should be added. I admire their grit, but I’m not convinced that their actions weren’t more detrimental than helpful.  I went to the show in hopes of seeing behind the scenes material to convince me the continuing protests were a good idea.

A year and a half ago when I spoke as a member of the LGBT community at a Pocatello City Council, my reasons were twofold. I wanted to share my experiences of negative treatment and fear to offer a personal qualitative piece of data supporting non-discrimination legislation, but I also wanted to talk about how freakin’ great my life has been.  Cue Pharrell Williams’ jazzy, upbeat number one hit, “It might seem crazy what I'm about to say…”  I’ve grown up in south east Idaho and I’m happy!

As stories pour into the media and statehouses about the struggles and discrimination that LGBT people have faced, it’s paramount, for teens and adolescents especially, that accounts of hope and happiness appear as well. The “Add the Words” movie was certainly more focused on struggles and not about hope.  

The movie showed how the Idaho legislature has refused a hearing—just a hearing—and in essence is silencing hundreds of Idaho families whose voices deserve to be heard. These families and voices have been refused for eight years now.

While we call on legislators to give LGBT youth hope in the passing of laws, we’ve got to do our part to contribute to a landscape of hope. At the conclusion of the film, a number of people offered comments.  Someone on stage said that School District 25 doesn’t support gay/straight alliances (GSAs) and we were urged to call the superintendent.

I doubted this was true. From my seat in the theater, I messaged a friend who teaches U.S. Government at Highland High School. Pamela Fleischmann Peck ran the Human Rights club at HHS a couple years ago, but due to lack of student interest, the club became inactive.  She is more than willing to advise and resurrect the group. The infrastructure is there at Highland and only needs student interest to develop.

I also texted Irving Middle School principal Tonya Wilkes. She shrieked (as one possibly could via text) that clubs are absolutely allowed. She added that district administrators have recently gone through anti discrimination professional development and training. Central to this is recognizing and addressing issues like bullying, depression, and isolation encountered by LGBT youth or others in underrepresented economic, religious and ethnic groups.

I wanted a little more backbone than friend-to-friend chats on this, so I did call the School District 25 Office. I asked flat out: Are GSA clubs prohibited?  I got a clear cut, “No. We do not oppose the creation of a gay/straight alliance club.”

I learned that the creation of any school group is student-driven. If students want a club, the school and District support that. Before a group can be created, the school’s administration must find an adult volunteer within the school to be an advisor. Once one is found, the advisor will help the group get organized, define their intended purpose and plan activities to support their purpose. A GSA would be supported and run just like other school clubs.

Simply put, this public statement after the movie was inaccurate.

One of the last speakers after the film called for LGBT people to speak up. I agree that talking is important, but so is listening. In the midst of so much speaking up, we may not hear about changes that are happening, what school districts, teachers and allies are doing, and what lawmakers or other LGBT people are accomplishing on behalf of equal rights. 

There is more to be done. There will always be more to be done, but in not acknowledging or celebrating little victories and progress, I fear that hope can be lost. I hope that Idaho lawmakers will hold a hearing on adding the words next session and fewer protests arise because I’m still not convinced that halting all other legislative progress is a good idea.  My experience in south east Idaho tells me there is happiness and hope to be had. Kids should know that.