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The damage and ultimate futility of hiding facts

Today, a protest against teaching facts about sexuality in schools met with a counter-protest in cities across Canada, including on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

One of the anti-sex ed protesters actually said this: “Talking to kids about wieners and sex is inappropriate, and if you want to do that, then something’s wrong with you. You’re a creep. A weirdo.”

Wiener. Creep. Yes, he said that.

This is all part of a larger and disturbing movement that seems to want to deny reality and present a particular, false image of the world today.

Some other examples:

removal of books from school libraries in counties in Ontario—anything over 15 years old gets tossed
In the U.S., redaction of historical facts from school textbooks, such as the history of slavery and oppression of minorities

This is censorship, but it’s wearing new clothes. Clothes called “parental rights.”

“Hands off our children.” “Stop indoctrination.”

That’s right. Facts are indoctrination.

These censors all come from a similar ethos: “conservative”—in other words, not advancing in knowledge or equity. Upholding the status quo, which is far from equitable in our society.

The problem is, this approach doesn’t actually conserve things; it allows greater concentration of power and wealth.

Don’t believe me? Look at the growing gap between rich and poor in Western, capitalistic countries. Look at the corporate concentration. How many different media companies are there now? How many independent newspapers?

In Canada, five corporations control over 80 percent of the groceries sold.

But let’s get back to communication. The distribution of knowledge.

When it comes to what to teach children, the current debates in North America centre around sex and sexuality. Yes, sex is always an exciting subject, and talking about it makes many of us uncomfortable. At least for a little while.

Mature minds can get past that, and soon are able to talk about sex like any other subject: astronomy, fitness, oceanography and other ideas based on facts. On reality.

In the early 2000s, some “concerned parents” protested the teaching of any sex education in schools. “We will teach sex in the home,” they averred. But they did not follow through. Even today, many demand their children be removed from the classroom during sex education. More recently, these same people protested against admitting that homosexuality existed. They also demanded that public schools, funded by the whole population (well, except the wealthy, who don’t pay taxes, but that’s a topic for a different blog post) teach their particular idea: that homosexuality is wrong and sick.

The manufactured outrage de jour is over men who wear what is generally considered today as women’s clothing. “Drag queens are reading to children! It’s an outrage!”

The “concerned parents”

Think of the children! Won’t anyone think of the children?!

do not want schools to teach the concept of gender fluidity. The fact that some people feel their personality has been stuck in a body of the wrong sex.

Gender fluidity is a relatively new idea. It’s not one I heard about when I was in school. However, scientific research has determined it’s real. I know it doesn’t conform to ideas prevalent in society 50 years ago.

But consider this: 100 years ago relativity didn’t conform to prevalent ideas about the universe. 150 years ago, evolution sparked controversy. 500 years ago, the fact that the earth revolved around the sun was new thinking.

The point is, we learn new facts. And we incorporate them into our thinking, our society, and teach them to children so they can build on them and push our knowledge yet further. And that growth, that learning brings us so many benefits, like new medicines and treatments and conveniences and new ways to make art.

If you are opposed to teaching children the latest understanding of humanity and human sexuality, can I ask why?