May 20, 2011
Don't say gay, say Takei
EDGE READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The Tennessee Senate recently passed a bill that would prohibit teachers from discussing homosexuality in classrooms before students reach ninth grade. Whether or not the bill, nicknamed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, will become law remains to be seen since the Tennessee House of Representatives will likely not pass it. Reporting on the blog Metropulse.com, Cari Wade Gervin writes that the bill has "virtually zero chance of making it to the governor's desk to be signed into law this year. (Would the seemingly rational Gov. Bill Haslam even sign it? We have no idea."
Nonetheless out actor George Takei is not taking any chances and has launched a campaign for teachers to substitute his last name (pronounced 'Ta-KAY") with the word "gay."
According to NPR, Takei says the law is premised on the misguided belief that by not talking about gay people, they'll be forced to 'disappear'.
He has even gone so far as to as to launch a website, where you can select mugs, shirts, hats, buttons or mousepads to show your support. Takei says all donations will be given to charity, but he doesn't identify which one.
