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Saying Gay: Help A 17-Year Old Make This Film – Or He Won’t Be Able To

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Editor’s note: This guest post is by Devon Hicks, a 17-year old activist living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

For the past six years, Republican Senator Stacey Campfield has been working on a bill that would ban any mention of homosexuality in Tennessee Schools in grades K-8. The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, pitched as a way to keep discussions age appropriate and give parents the power to educate their children on social issues, has a seemingly reasonable foundation. Yet the “side-effects” of the bill are the main concern of many. First and foremost, it establishes homosexuality as a taboo subject — and things that we can’t talk about are normally bad, right? (This is a belief held especially among younger children.) This means that students who may themselves be part of the LGBTQ community, or who perhaps have gay relatives will most likely feel like even more like outsiders. The “Don’t Say Gay” bill also would make it hard for teachers and counselors to address the topic of LGBTQ bullying. And sadly, it almost appears that it is Senator Campfield’s belief that if you don’t talk about gays, maybe they will cease to exist. The bill in its current form bans “any discussion that deviates from normal human reproduction science.” Titled SB49, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed the Tennessee Senate 19 to 11 on May 20, and will now go to the House for a vote in January 2012.

Many of the young people who would be effected by SB49 find themselves in very delicate situations. They are at a point in their lives where they are figuring out who they are, and quite often aren’t sure where to turn. They are worried that their parents might not accept them, that their friends may disown them, and maybe even that there may be something wrong with them. Hopefully they’re lucky enough to have friends and family that are supportive, but those that don’t often have to “go back in the closet” and/or face constant bullying and harassment at the hands of relatives and their peers. As we’ve seen in the news, this leads to depression, self harm, and in some cases those affected choose to take their own lives. These young people need a voice, they need support, and more than anything, they need to feel safe.

Over the past three months I’ve been blessed enough to become part of the Tennessee Equality Project Foundation (TEPF). I started a campaign titled “It’s OK To Say Gay*,” which is an effort to raise awareness and provide ways to fight bullying and intolerance in Tennessee schools. TEPF folded it into their organization.

We held a rally to give people a view of our objectives and to identify volunteers, but the rally also was an effort to provide the voice that I spoke of to some of the immediate area’s LGBTQ teens. For this reason,we provided three high school students (all of which identified as homosexual) with the opportunity to share their experiences, and the result was inspirational. Their stories were met with thunderous applause, tears, and a roomful of supportive energy. Those three students “struck a cord,” and moved people more than anything else at the rally.

In the aftermath of the rally, we had a notable amount of media attention, and I had the pleasure of joining George Takei on a new online CBS show called, “What’s Trending.” As I sat waiting for my Skype video line to be pushed live, I received a view into the world of a live production room, and it spiked my nerdy interest. Over the next few days, I kept thinking back to the rally, and to the news interviews and realized that, if people could just see the pain caused by legislation like SB49, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, maybe people would be more sympathetic.

It had been my goal from the start to stream most of our events live online, but I realized that was not enough. People didn’t need a collection of YouTube videos or a bit of media coverage, they needed a dedicated view into the lives of the Tennessee gay community and the effect SB49 will have on it. They need to see that our LGBTQ students are bullied heavily (and that it’s a problem for straight students too.) The LGBTQ community needs a voice, and with only six months until the House votes on SB49, they need it fast. With all of this in mind, I realized that the answer was a documentary.

I spent several days running over the logistics. What would we call it? What exactly would it contain? What kind of gear would be needed? I didn’t doubt my creative or technical abilities, and I came to discover a large filmmaking community ready to assist me. I then realized that I needed to be able to completely dedicate myself to working on the film, and that was going to be an expense as well.

On May 29 I launched a Kickstarter campaign for “Saying Gay: A documentary about SB49.” The goal is straightforward: provide a view into how SB49, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, will affect our students and their families and raise awareness about bullying in schools. We will bring students, parents, teachers, lawyers, lawmakers, and therapists in front of the camera in order for them to share their experiences and their analysis. “Saying Gay” will not just be a documentary, it will be a living, breathing thing. As I travel across Tennessee, I’ll film hundreds of people explaing why they think “it’s okay to say gay,” and feature them on our website alongside other extended content. Public screenings will double as discussion forums, and in the process I will be forming “Equality Reel,” a video production company that will focus on developing content for the LGBT community.

In order to fund approximately $13,000 worth in equipment, plus travel, and the ability to work full-time on the film, I set the goal of raising $25,000; and now I’m turning to the community for help.

Every day, students around the country find themselves being verbally and physically assaulted because they are different, and the last thing we need is legislation that makes that even more possible. I want to give a voice to all of those who right now are afraid, and I hope you can help with that. For the cost of a cup of coffee, you can help make a difference and end intolerance.

 

 

*Saying Gay is in no way affiliated with the It’s OK To Say Gay Campaign or Tennessee Equality Project Foundation.

 

 

Devon Hicks is a 17-year old activist living in Knoxville, TN. He currently sits as the interim committee chair of the Tennessee Equality Project’s “Safe Schools Committee” and started the It’s OK To Say Gay Campaign, which has received national attention. After graduating and moving out at age 16, Devon began putting his love for design and technology to use, starting a small web design business which has now turned into a education and consulting firm for non-profits, showing them how they can use technology in their campaigns and daily management. Saying Gay, a documentary about SB49, will be Devon’s first film.

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News

JD Vance Dismisses Taylor Swift’s Harris Endorsement: Voters Won’t Be Influenced by ‘Disconnected Billionaire’

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13 hours ago

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September 11, 2024

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Senator JD Vance (R-OH) dismissed Taylor Swift’s endorsement of the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz campaign, saying that it wouldn’t sway voters because they wouldn’t be “influenced by a billionaire celebrity.”

Vance appeared Wednesday afternoon on Fox News’ The Story With Martha MacCallum. MacCallum brought up Swift’s endorsement in her interview with the vice presidential candidate.

“But it was interesting last night, that Taylor Swift gave her endorsement of Harris and and Walz right after [the debate]. She has 283 million followers on Instagram, and I’m sure that someone brought your attention that she signed it ‘Childless Cat Lady.’ This is a phrase that you are going to hear in your in your dreams and your nightmares, probably for many years to come. How do you speak to women voters, who, obviously, care about what she thinks?,” MacCallum said.

READ MORE: Trump Refuses Debate ‘Rematch’, Says Harris ‘Was Beaten Badly’

“Well, look, we admire Taylor Swift’s music. But I don’t think most Americans—whether they like her music, are fans of hers or not—are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity, who, I think, is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans. Look, when grocery prices go up by 20%, it hurts most Americans. It doesn’t hurt Taylor Swift. When housing prices become unaffordable, it doesn’t affect Taylor Swift or any other billionaire. It does affect middle class Americans all over our country,” Vance replied.

Swift announced her endorsement of the Harris campaign last night shortly after the debate on Instagram. Alongside a photo by Inez & Vinoodh of her cuddling a fluffy cat, she urged fans to research the candidates. She also called out former President Donald Trump and his fans sharing AI-generated pictures appearing to show Swift endorsing him.

“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” Swift wrote.

“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades,” she continued.

She did indeed sign the caption “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” in reference to a comment Vance made in 2021 that the country was run by “childless cat ladies” like Harris who “want to make the rest of the country miserable too.” The quote was resurfaced shortly after Vance was named Trump’s running mate. Vance says the remark was “sarcastic” and “willfully misinterpreted” by Democrats, according to The Hill. Harris has two stepchildren.

As for Swift’s net worth, she is indeed a billionaire with $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. The same outlet places Trump’s net worth at $7.5 billion. The majority of that is due to Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social. However, Trump Media has been losing money recently, causing Trump to fall off Bloomberg’s list of the top 500 wealthiest people.

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News

Asif Merchant Faces Additional Terrorism Charge In Hitman Plot to Kill Politicians

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14 hours ago

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September 11, 2024

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asif merchant

Asif Merchant faces additional terrorism charges over a plan to hire hitmen to kill government officials or politicians, according to a new indictment filed Tuesday.

Merchant was initially arrested in July for the assassination plot. Originally, Merchant was only charged with murder for hire. The new indictment keeps the murder for hire charge, and adds one count of attempt to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant is from Pakistan, but has ties to Iran, the Department of Justice says.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate Iran’s efforts to target our country’s public officials and endanger our national security,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.  “As these terrorism and murder for hire charges against Asif Merchant demonstrate, we will continue to hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against Americans.”

The Department of Justice says that he flew from Iran to America in April, and reached out to someone he thought could help him find someone to kill either politicians or government officials. That person reported him to law enforcement.

In June, he allegedly met up with the person again to discuss the plot, and confirmed he intended to orchestrate a chain of assassinations in the United States. Merchant asked the person to put him in contact with potential hitmen who would also be tasked with stealing information from targets, planning protests at political events and, ultimately committing the assassination at the end of summer, the DOJ says.

READ MORE: Leaders of White Supremacist Group Terrorgram Charged, Face Up to 220 Years in Prison

Merchant was put into contact with undercover FBI agents posing as criminals. He paid them $5,000 in cash on June 21, and when one of the undercover agents said “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” Merchant replied in the affirmative.

Merchant stayed in the U.S. for another three weeks, booking a July 12 flight out of the country. The day he was scheduled to leave, he was arrested.

The complaint doesn’t mention any names of potential targets, but a senior law enforcement official told NBC News in August that former President Donald Trump was a potential target. Iran was said to be plotting to kill Trump in revenge for the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, NBC reported.

Merchant faces a life sentence if he’s convicted of the charges. The case is being heard in the Eastern District of New York.

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STILL A COWARD

Trump Refuses Debate ‘Rematch’, Says Harris ‘Was Beaten Badly’

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16 hours ago

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September 11, 2024

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Former President Donald Trump has declined Vice President Kamala Harris’ offer of a second debate. He compared himself to a top boxer, declaring himself the winner and wondering why he should bother with a rematch.

Trump and Harris had their first debate Tuesday night on ABC. Shortly afterward—less than an hour, according to ABC News—the Harris campaign asked for a followup debate in October. Fox News offered to be the host, which should have appealed to Trump, considering he wanted Tuesday’s debate to be hosted on the conservative-leaning cable news outlet. But apparently, he’s changed his mind.

“In the World of Boxing or UFC, when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, ‘I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!’ Well, it’s no different with a Debate. She was beaten badly last night. Every Poll has us WINNING, in one case, 92-8, so why would I do a Rematch?” Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.

READ MORE: MAGA World Threatens to Boycott ABC After Trump’s Disastrous Debate Performance

Though Trump declared himself the winner, that is not a common belief. Many networks declared Harris the winner, including Fox News. Trump is correct that one poll did have him winning 92% to 8%, but that was an online poll from Newsmax. Newsmax is a far-right media outlet. It came to prominence during the 2020 election when Trump turned against Fox News for becoming the first outlet to declare President Joe Biden the winner in Arizona, a battleground state. Newsmax promoted Trump’s unfounded claims of voter fraud.

Trump shared a number of other polls on his Truth Social account shortly after the debate, but most were from explicitly pro-Trump outlets like the Daily Caller, or were taken on X, formerly Twitter, which has skewed right following Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform.

Polls from more mainstream outlets, however, told a different story. Newsweek’s reader poll showed Harris ahead nearly 2 to 1. CNN’s poll had a similar spread, with Harris declared the winner by 63% of viewers. In the Washington Post’s poll of 25 uncommitted swing-state voters, 23 said Harris did better. YouGov’s polling was closer, but Harris still pulled ahead 43% to 32%.

Pundits and experts also awarded the win to Harris. NPR said the debate “wasn’t close.” The New York Times said Harris “rattled” Trump.

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