New Column: The 'Return' of Anti-LGBTQ 'Grooming' Narratives

I'm back (again), if you'll kindly click through to another publication.

Hey newsletter readers. I hope you didn’t feel duped when I suggested I was restarting this publication last year and then only wrote a couple of pieces. It’s been hard to find time to write the way I want to, but my desire hasn’t waivered. I’ve recently started a relationship with Xtra Magazine based in Toronto, which will hopefully turn into a few more columns throughout the year.

My first column there was just published today. I wanted to respond to the way conservatives are once again openly talking about how they believe adults “groom” children to become LGBTQ+. A lot of people seem to think it’s unique to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill advancing in Florida, but to me, it’s so consistent with the attacks against trans people that have been festering for years.

I don’t want to detract from Xtra’s traffic, so I hope you’ll click through to the full article, but here’s a taste:

But for anyone who has watched the continued attacks on the trans community specifically, this language is no surprise at all. It’s the language of J.K. Rowling and Dave Chappelle. It’s the language of cis white men with substacks who are “just asking questions.” It was the language of campaigns against “Drag Queen Story Hour” until the pandemic made them moot. The narrative that queerness is a threat to kids not only never went away, it has been nurtured in the periphery for years, only to rebloom with the legislation we’re seeing this year. Because it was focused primarily on trans kids, the efforts over the last few years saw less public scrutiny—but now that conservatives are once again attacking lesbian, gay and bi people and their families, there is massive outcry. If you’re surprised by what’s happening in Florida, you simply haven’t been paying attention.

Click here to read my column: “‘Grooming’ narratives return to the forefront of anti-LGBTQ2S+ campaigns.”

If you have ideas about other topics you want to see me write about, please feel free to reach out. You can also keep current with me on Twitter.

Until next time, stay platinum!