Unfortunately the Florida based Liberty Counsel, an SPLC certified hate group, stuck their noses in this Wisconsin business and threatened a lawsuit if the planned reading went forward.
The school canceled the reading, but in response to the right wing bullying, the community of Mount Horeb rebuked the transphobic hatemongers and organized two public readings of I Am Jazz that will take place on Wednesday.
The Mount Horeb High School Straight and Gay Alliance (SAGA) will host one of the public readings at 7:35 AM at the MHHS flagpole. The SAGA students, according to MHHS teacher Beth Maglio, are staging the reading to "show our support and solidarity with the transgender community, staff and students."
Maglio teaches a high school 'Social Problems' course in which students learn about advocacy and standing up for their beliefs. When she noticed the SAGA students discussing the cancellation on Facebook, she asked them what they thought they should do about it, and doing a public reading of I Am Jazz was their response.
The second reading was organized by parent Amy Lyle, and it will take place at the Mount Horeb Library from 6:30-8 PM. Like the reading by the Mount Horeb SAGA group, Lyle organized the library reading as a way to support the trans feminine student an her family.
"We were concerned about how the family would be feeling and we felt a need to communicate to them that there is support in our community." Lyle said in a Wisconsin State Journal interview. "We want all LGBT youth to feel supported and feel accepted, and to know that Mount Horeb is an accepting place for all."
Thank you Mount Horeb for demonstrating that acceptance and not falling for the anti-trans fear mongering. hope the trans community in the area will thank these groups by supporting the Wednesday readings.
Just to stick it to the Liberty Counsel, I'd take it a step further and start donating copies of I Am Jazz to local primary school and public libraries around the country.
H/T Lexie Cannes
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