You know, in retrospect, having gay marriage as a debate topic when I was the only openly gay kid in class was SUPER WEIRD. Imagine if you walked into AP Gov and your teacher pointed at you like, “I don’t think Brian should have health insurance because he sucks. Discuss?”
I can’t even fathom what I would do if I had to write an essay about how I should be able to take a piss in peace.
i had to do a debate on the transgender bathroom law and it was mortifying. there was one trans guy, and two other not cis people against a side with someone who literally bullied a transgender kid to the point he had to go to one of those therapeutic schools. I had to debate my right to use the bathroom against a girl i had known for 8 years.
the kicker? the debate ended in a tie.
it ended in a tie, even though the other side didn’t complete the assignment. we were supposed to have 10 facts and statistics. we were supposed to omit opinions. they had 8. 8 variations of “people this doesn’t affect would be uncomfortable so it doesn’t matter.”
it ended in a tie, even though my side had 41 points to bring up. we had facts. we had studies. we had statistics. hell, we even brought up the fact trans people literally cannot help that they’re trans.
it has been two years since this debate and i still get angry whenever i think about it.
if there are any teachers reading this, for the love of whatever god you believe in DO NOT make kids debate over transgender or gay issues. ESPECIALLY when there’s an openly transgender person in the class. this is just as bad as debating whether or not black people should have rights. just do not do it.
I’ll give readings about diversity topics and ask students what arguments each side gives as cited in the article, but I never ask them if they support/oppose those rights.
During the argumentative essay unit, I am very free form in topic choice and some students will inevitably pick gay marriage, immigration, etc. Almost always on the “pro” side. Because I’ve exposed them to a variety of diversity topics and they feel safe expressing their opinion, and I’m teaching them how to back that opinion up with evidence. (And if they pic the “anti” side? Even though I’m queer and have very liberal opinions? I’ll still help them find valid sources and develop their reasoning. Because better to prepare them to have actual reasonable conversation on difficult topics than say “Im right because I’m right” and call it a day.)
“i am a monument to all your sins” is such a fucking raw line for a villain it’s amazing that it came from halo, a modernish video game, and not some classical text or mythos
classic texts have nothing on the crazy people come up with in modern times tbh
“I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.”
– Joshua Graham, Who Is A Fallout New Vegas NPC, Something Most People Throwing This Quote Around Don’t Realize
“If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have.”
– Shadow the Hedgehog in what is widely considered one of if not the single worst game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise
this is the source for this text and it haunts me on a regular basis
Flowers wither away. Jewelry are simply stones, decorated with fake beauty. I can give you something pure. Honest and undying love.
“A world without forgiveness is a world without compromise and a world without compromises is a world without life, for even a simple-minded beast may forgive it’s transgressors to share a watering hole in the middle of a drought”- A meme I made at 2am before deciding to quit my last job
