Disturbing PFOX flier distributed throughout Montgomery County Public Schools

In the first week of February, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) sent a flier home with Montgomery County students. This flier is full of deceptive arguments and scare tactics that disguise themselves as friendly, but in reality are extremely anti gay and lesbian.

The flier is directed at students who feel same sex attraction, and it tells them it is possible to become “ex-gay.” As I read through the flier, I was struck by the disguised friendliness of such an unfriendly, suppressive idea. How could such a flier be passed out through schools? A few minutes of googling led me to the answer.

In 2006, the United States Court of Appeals ruled that nonprofit organizations had the right to distribute fliers throughout public schools. This was after an evangelical Christian organization was refused flier distribution by Montgomery County Public Schools. The Court of Appeals held that this refusal was discrimination against viewpoints, which according to the constitution, is not tolerated. This means that now, Montgomery County Public Schools must allow distribution of any flier that a nonprofit organization wishes to give to students.

Doesn’t this seem wrong? MCPS should not be obligated to allow distribution of fliers from external sources. Perhaps allow access to them, but not distribution. The Court of Appeals ruling enables inaccurate and offensive propaganda to be weaved into a place where all information should be accurate and truthful.

The PFOX flier urges gays and lesbians to seek “help” to become “ex-gay” and repeatedly refers to “unwanted same-sex attraction,” wrongly stating opinion as fact. It tells students to “get smart” and not to label themselves as gay. Get smart? Who says these students aren’t smart?

This flier incorporates disguised scare tactics with bandwagon arguments, stating “we all feel the need to fit in and be accepted.” Bandwagon arguments use the idea that “everyone” thinks some way to try and make you think that way also. Scare tactics try to scare you into thinking or believing something by threatening that something bad might happen if you don’t.  It’s true, many people feel the need to fit in, but this argument suggests that gays do not fit in and are not accepted.

The flier continuously uses rhetorical fallacies, such as stating that “everyone feels the need to fit in”, to essentially trick readers into believing what they read. Why does PFOX use such harsh techniques to get their message across? Perhaps because it’s an easy way to argue. It provides them with the opportunity to sidestep using legitimate arguments--perhaps because they do not have legitimate arguments to back their point?

As we educate and prepare our new generation (my generation) to become adults, we want to supply them with access to all kinds of ideas and opinions. But I emphasise the word access here. Sending this flier home with students, forcing each individual to have one, comes too close to brainwashing.

There is nothing wrong with attraction to the same sex. It is not a disease. As Jason, the founder of BGIOK.org (being gay is OK), says in his myth buster being gay isn’t a choice you can wish away. It is not a condition that needs to be fixed. Love is love no matter what, and Montgomery County students should not be guided to any other conclusion.


For additional reading, see

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/cnara.pdf

http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/051508.P.pdf