Across the country, conservative elected officials and media personalities have ramped up their attacks on the LGBTQ community, reviving decades-old tropes that LGBTQ people seek to "groom" children by infiltrating the school system.
In Texas, far-right Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive to the state's child services department, demanding they investigate the parents of transgender children for child abuse. In Florida, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed the Parental Rights in Education bill, colloquially known as "Don't Say Gay," into law. The legislation bans "instruction" regarding sexuality and gender in the classroom from kindergarten to third grade, though critics believe the law will be weaponized against LGBTQ people.
Now, extreme right Congresswoman and conspiracy theorist Lauren Boebert of Colorado has suggested an age minimum to even come out as LGBTQ.
We require people to be 21 to purchase alcohol beverages, and 21 to purchase tobacco products.
Why is it so unreasonable to require people to reach a certain level of maturity before making life-altering decisions about their sexuality and identity?
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) April 1, 2022
Boebert likened coming out of the closet to purchasing alcohol and tobacco, further suggesting that people under 21 don't have the "maturity" to make "life-altering decisions about their sexuality and identity."
The Congresswoman's bizarre tweet is the latest salvo in her demonization of LGBTQ people. Boebert recently devoted an entire ad to smearing transgender women for participating in sports. She's mocked the idea of gender identities and has claimed that passage of the Equality Act would result in LGBTQ "supremacy."
Boebert's latest screed got the attention of social media users.
Perhaps we don't need politicians regulating our identity...at all? https://t.co/x0foHmkoYK
— Groundskeeper Chilly (@lacroixcommie) April 4, 2022
1. you got straight married at 19. why didn't you wait until 21 to declare you were straight?
2. i've known that i like girls since i was 11 and i've been a lesbian since i was 14. people know themselves better than you do
3. i hope they take your guns away https://t.co/6X9jc1x4Dz
— molly parton (@dykenesmith) April 4, 2022
If I had to hide who I was until I turned 21, I wouldn’t have made it to 21 https://t.co/or5cnfvCtI
— Damiana (@Damiana__1) April 3, 2022
This tweet actually exists. Wow.
Like wtf. https://t.co/MeU4GGqoyg
— Anthony (@AnthonyT2_) April 4, 2022
Please join me in telling Lauren Boebert to go f*ck herself. https://t.co/lmlhVRhpuJ
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) April 2, 2022
Some used her logic to apply to heterosexual and cisgender people.
You heard it, everyone. Lauren Boebert says you can’t be straight until you’re 21 https://t.co/KXpU9qLeRh
— Birdie Sanders 🇺🇦 (@NotPCDemocrat) April 3, 2022
No straight people until age 21, you heard the lady https://t.co/ncvfdbN91w
— B I T (@BuildIntoTrains) April 4, 2022
No more cis people before 21 years old. Everyone will now go on puberty blockers until they turn 21, when they'll be allowed to decide they're actually cis https://t.co/gOQ5Ek3ybn
— Ben Ace (@AceOfBens) April 4, 2022
So no straight people until 21! https://t.co/ntZJeJkhsd
— Marti (@MartiGCummings) April 3, 2022
Ironically enough, Boebert opposes 21 year age minimums for the use of firearms.
