Men Kissing Men: Jesus, sometimes I hate people edition June 23, 2007
Posted by Evil Bender in News and politics, bigotry.trackback
In the Garden State it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, but the Newark, NJ school superintendent felt it necessary to protect the “sensitivities” of parents. (NJ.com):
Newark Superintendent of Schools Marion Bolden called the photograph “illicit” and ordered it blacked out of the $85 yearbook before it was distributed to students at a banquet for graduating seniors Thursday. “It looked provocative,” she said. “If it was either heterosexual or gay, it should have been blacked out. It’s how they posed for the picture.”
Russell Garris, the assistant superintendent who oversees the city’s high schools, brought the photograph to Bolden’s attention Thursday afternoon. He was concerned the picture would be controversial and upsetting to parents, Bolden said.
There are several photos of heterosexual couples kissing in the yearbook, but the superintendent said she didn’t review the entire yearbook and was presented only with Jackson’s page.
Provocative? Yeah, that rather chaste kiss is sure provocative, and definitely has nothing to do with the genders of those doing the kissing. Right.
I’m reminded of something my tattoo artist told me: “the difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that people with tattoos won’t ever judge you for not having them.” Similarly, I have trouble imagining any gay parents being traumatized by the photos of straight people kissing. Dealing with a dominant culture is like that.
Tag.
i wonder what’s their definition of “ellicit”. to me, there was nothing wrong with the picture. is it really unusual to see two guys lip locking? if they’re going to blocked this picture from the yearbook, i hope they did every “ellicit” image. just my two cents.
evil bender, really like your blog. i hope you dont mind exhanging links. thank you !
This reminded me of a similar incident I faced in my senior year in HS as the Copy editor of my yearbook. Recent events involving HS students: limiting free speech and censoring a students BOUGHT AND PAID FOR page really pissed me off this week.
Uhg.
I wonder if an objections would have been raised if two girls were kissing?
:)(:
Irving makes a good point, and I think the answer is no. Is that related to the patriarchy, in that men often find two women kissing hot? Is it that two women kissing (at least as long as they’re pretty) doesn’t challenge mens’ ideas of masculinity?
And of course there were plenty of heteros kissing in the yearbook. Grumph.
Dammit these busybodies piss me off!
Were thoose two strait or nonstrait men kiissing? I believe two gorwn strait men can give each other a quick peck on the lps. I think that’s beautiful especially if two flesh/blood brothers do it.
1. Any school yearbook is certainly NOT the place to look for examples of free speech or expression.
2. I’m not gay, so seeing two men kiss does strike me at my hetero core as “odd”. However, I’m also a modern human that believes everyone of us is equal (unless you believe in intelligent design, then you’re more like a weretroll), so I think exposure to our many differences can only be a good thing.
Hatred,scorn,ridicule of religion,especially Christians is the order of the day in America.
But if one so much as dare criticize one of you whimpering ,bleating frauds, you will raise all hell to murder his conscience,his soul, discredit and sue.
You’re all worse than the mob.
Congrats, Bert. That was the probably the single dumbest comment ever left here, and there have been some great contenders for that title.
Your unsubstantiated “persecuted Christian” nonsense won’t fly here. You take a story where a school official clearly discriminated against gay people and claim that CHRISTIANS are getting picked on? Nice logic there.
what the hell are you doing?
“Worse than the mob”, eh Bert?
Then you may wanna watch what you say. If you get my drift.
you are gay
Wow! If you were a gay, I would hope to meet you (even if you’re straight).