Local advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community in Cedar Rapids have defended Linn-Mar High School students after their program aimed at promoting bisexual awareness was condemned by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa.
The controversy began when a student-run news program at the high school aired content promoting Bisexual Awareness Week. The broadcast featured explanations of terms such as “omnisexual” and “non-monosexual.”
“A non-monosexual identity refers to sexual orientations that are not exclusively homosexual or heterosexual. This term encompasses a range of identities, including bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and omnisexual. Non-monosexual identities emphasize that attraction can be complex and not limited to traditional binaries,” was one of the quotes pulled from last week’s broadcast.
Hinson then posted on X, “The morning news show at my son’s high school in Marion, Iowa, is broadcasting about ‘bisexual plus awareness week’ and being ‘omnisexual.’ The clip is so bad & inappropriate, I am not going to post it,” adding, “As a mom and as a legislator, I am so appalled the school is promoting sexual content to minors. – I will be calling for an investigation through the Dept of Education & working with Governor Reynolds to ensure accountability – stay tuned.”
Andy Peterson, president of Cedar Rapids PFLAG, a local LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, stated that the program did not contain sexual content. “I think Hinson’s comments are just ridiculous. One, student-free speech is a pretty well-protected right. Two, the kids didn’t do anything wrong,” Peterson told to CBS 2 in Iowa.
Peterson on the other hand says this has to do with acknowledgment. “Hinson’s response to me is like an ostrich sticking her head in the sand. It doesn’t want to acknowledge that a piece of the world exists out there. And it gets upset when other people acknowledge it anyway. That’s just nonsense,” Peterson added.
Keenan Crow with One Iowa, another local LGBTQIA+ group, echoed these sentiments, saying the program was meant for homeschoolers and there wasn’t explicit content included. “If you’re against a list of ways to make LGBTQ students feel more included then it seems like your goal is to make them feel less included. If that’s what’s offensive and inappropriate to you,” Crow added.
District officials admit parents were not informed about the story in advance and promise better communication on sensitive topics going forward.
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