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Imagine having to go through something as heartbreaking as an abortion or having to struggle with bullying based on your sexual orientation. These are challenging personal struggles and to be brave enough to go to a counselor for help is something to be applauded for. You finally muster up the courage to go to student services, when the counselor refuses to help you because they don’t believe being LGBT is moral, or they don’t believe the right to choose is moral. That’s another devastating blow.
Now imagine, if you’re one of these people and your counselor holds these personal prejudices and chooses to offer their “words of wisdom”. A good friend of mine is transgender (he is male-brained and female bodied) and didn’t know this until he was in his mid-twenties. As a college student he struggled with these feelings and their morality, having grown up in a very Christian household. When he sought counseling, his therapist convinced him to live as a straight woman instead of encouraging him to accept who he is.
There’s enough shame our society already imposes on being LGBT or pro-choice, if the person you go to for advice and comfort reinforces those negative stigmas that can really (for lack of a better word) mess with someone’s mind!
So even though I think the policy disguises what really is discrimination as religious morality, I do have to wonder are the girls and guys who get turned away better off? The counselors who deny students must refer them to another counselor who is willing to help.
Everyone has their personal biases. This is a simple reality of being an American. In my opinion it’s what makes this country awesome. I can walk into any coffee shop, mall, or classroom and be surrounded by all different kinds of people, with all different kinds of views, including ones that oppose mine. Even the ones I think are immoral, like bigotry, are protected by the law. However, when we start making laws based on bigotry it becomes extremely difficult for everyone’s views and lifestyles to be protected.
When you give people free license to discriminate based on their personal beliefs you’re inevitably alienating somebody else’s personal beliefs. While I would rather have LGBT students and pro-choice women have open-minded counselors to lead them on a more healthy path, this policy completely feels ick.
I think the real solution would be to NOT hire counselors who have extreme biases. How can you help anyone when you’re not open-minded enough to be empathetic?
When I wrote about Obama declaring his support of same-sex marriage here on Gurl I was so excited to read comments that agreed, but I was even more stoked to read comments from girls like Heather who said, “I don’t agree with same sex marriage, but I also feel it should be legal, who are we to say who has a right to love and who doesn’t?”
Do I completely agree with these girls’ views? No. But it truly warms my heart to see that they can draw the line between personal beliefs and social injustices. That takes real brave and thoughtful thinking. Maybe Michigan needs to spend some time on the My Gurl boards–they might learn something.
Do you think the policy is fair? Do you think there is a better solution? Let us know what you think in the comments!
I get soooo annoyed when people can be 100% supportive of Gay Marriage but not for Pro Choice or like people are saying on here abortion I mean I’m supportive of both because it’s my effing body to do whatever with! And I’m also proud to say I’m a devout Christian and nooo we aren’t all crazy extremist looking discriminate people.
While I don’t agree with abortion, and I sometimes don’t understand the whole LGBT thing no matter how many times my gay bestie tries to explain it. I find this wrong. Since I was in the 6th grade I’ve wanted to be a counselor to give kids the help they don’t get other places. While I don’t agree, I can still keep an open mind and put my personal beliefs aside to try to help. This is ridiculous, they wonder why the rate of teen suicide is rising because of bullying, they ask why didn’t they just reach out, but yet now when they do, they can be turned away from getting the help they so desperately need. This is what is wrong with America
I think both are fine. No one should have a say in what I want but myself. My Mom always tells me everyone has their own opinions.
I love it sometimes, but most of the time I hate it. No one has the right to tell me what to do but myself and those who have some sense in their brains.
Religion and thoughts passed down by their parents are usually what I see in these cases. I’m not saying that’s all their is to it, but it seems to be the biggest case.
OMFG Michigan! You all are really asking for an effin riot on your hands, You all are a bunch of bs you freaking religious nutjobs! Stop trying to turn America into a country ruled by the church! Isn’t that why we came here in the first place? To escape the constant rule of the church?
I support gay marriage 100%
Abortion is justifiable under certain circumstances, like if you were raped, or you have absolutely no money or space to raise a child and that ain’t gonna change soon, or if your child has been found to have a serious birth defect that might make it die shortly after birth anyway and nature with miscarriages didn’t deal with the failed pregnancy. those are justifiable reasons, but if you are gonna spread your legs without protection fucking hell man you are asking for it. Maybe giving up the baby for adoption might be a better option for that situation instead of abortion.
My stance on LGBT issues: Laissez faire. Let it mother-effing be! If someone is gay, good flippin luck changing that, religious nutcases. Nothing you are going to do will change who they are, and you’re wrong for trying.
My stance on abortion: It. is. wrong. But people deserve to make their own choices. Denying them counseling for this is plain idiotic, Michigan!
Despite all of this, I believe in small parts of this bill! The purpose was so there wouldn’t be a conflict of interest between the counselors and the students they’re helping. But I believe a mandatory clause would be that the counselors would HELP the students find people who can help them!
LGBT has my support 1000%, until the day I die. Love is love.
And abortions? I believe it’s only acceptable in certain situations. Let’s say a woman was raped by a stranger, and finds out she’s pregnant. In that situation, she deserves an abortion, since she never wanted that baby. If you’re a girl living in a situation where you can barely support yourself, such as three minimum wage jobs a day, and you find out you’re pregnant, you should get an abortion, since no baby deserves to live in such a difficult lifestyle. I will say “You don’t deserve a abortion.” to women who sleep unprotected with any guy who has a pulse. It’s like, come on, protected would be fine, but unprotected? You’re asking for it, dude.
You know what Michigan? FUCK YOU. Things like this make me ashamed to be an American. Are we all really that ignorant? Have we stooped to our segregation days? All those people who agreed with this should be ashamed. They are no better than these people: http://thedisbrimstonedailypitchfork.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/segregation.jpg
What the fuck, Michigan. WHAT THE FUCK. I am so ashamed to live in this state.
They have no right to do that!!!!
It would be hard enough to come out or get an abortion, and then they want to restrict counseling services! Screw you, Michigan!!
I don’t care if your gay or not a homo or what I don’t care about what the hell you like or don’t like just …SHUT UP…. about God. Iam a proud Christian. Iam not a democrat or republican iam indapendant. I support gay marrigas its just my beliefs so if you don’t like it then don’t talk or speak or whatever about it I really don’t care about this crap you say about God. If you don’t like it so just keep your mouth shut because I don’t really want to hear this shit. About how you don’t care about God and all that other crap because your beliefs my beliefs.
And by the way abortion is taking a helpless week life that cant protect itself away from a good life it could of had they say it dosent hurt the baby but it really does it electracutes them until its life less body dies. Adoptions a better way to go. It disentangle hurt as much as takeing a life and if you don’t care now you will don’t worry your past will catch up with you and you will. Relize your mistake. Just don’t worry.
Sorry about my spelling mistakes
I don’t mean to upset you, but how could the fetus/embryo feel it if it hasn’t developed any nerves?
this is outragous!! they might need/ want counseling because of those things!! i support gay marriage 100%!! i think michigan needs to take another look at this!!!
Please excuse me as I go and bury my last remaining shred of faith in humanity. What is this? Havnt we evolved past segregating our schools and the scarlet letter days? Why can’t people see why it’s so wrong to hurt eachother just because their scared of change?
Isn’t this unconstitutional? They are descriminating AND this is allowing church and state to fuse together in this bill. Someone needs to bring this to the attention of the Supreme Court.
I don’t believe in either abortion or same sex marriage, but I still think that same sex marriage should be legal. However, I think abortion is murder. This may sound harsh, but the reason someone’s pregnant in the first place is because they’re too irresponsible to use protection. If you don’t want your kid, give it up for adoption, don’t kill it. But I still don’t hate people who have gotten aboritons…. Ugh! This doesn’t make any sense, but it’s how I feel.
I will never understand people who are prolife. What if no one wants the baby that was given up for adoption? You’d rather it get forced to a new home, possibly cross-country, every six months in foster care until someone either adopts them or they age out of the program? Where’s the healthy home for that kid? Is it really better for them to born and face the emotional damage that comes with being unwanted than to be aborted before the even have feelings?
AND IT’S 2012. SERIOUSLY, GET WITH THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET MARRIED.
SHIT I DIDN’T MEAN TO SEND THAT AS A REPLY IT WAS A GENERAL COMMENT I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE REPLY BUTTON SO SORRY!!!!
people do not get abortions just because they are lazy to use protection. people are not LGBT because they think it is cool. the emotional rollercoaster of being under either of these situations is huge. many people may feel so uncontrol of their life that they may be suicidal, especially those who have no support at home. not being given counceling is a very troubling thought. these kids may not be able to afford a therapist and a simple school counceler to talk through their emotions may be all they need. i really hope that this gets turned around for these children.
Isn’t there a law that states that there should be seperation of religion and state? So by enforcing this they are going against the first amendment of the bill of rights stating we have freedom to have a religion, or have no religion. By allowing these counselors to choose who they counsel do to their own religious preference is technically illegal, not to mention morally wrong. If you took this issue to the U.S Supreme Court there is no reason why you shouldn’t win.
You are so right! People who can’t handle such prevalent issues such as LGBT people or people who have had abortions should NOT BE HIRED FOR THESE POSITIONS. It is completely hypocritical if they did. I wouldn’t get hired as an electrician because I don’t know anything about it. So why should someone get hired as a counselor if they are unable to perform what I feel are BASIC functions of the job – helping students who feel ostracized or upset, no matter what the reason! Again, I agree with you 100%
That policy is extremely unfair! There are a lot of things I could say about this situation, but the basic thing is: people need to grow up. I’m a proud lesbian, and I support Gay marriage and rights. How hard is it to accept people of the same sex getting married, or being in a relationship? Just because someone is “different” than you, doesn’t mean you can stop giving them things they need, like the counseling. For the Christians who say things like “ACCORDING TO GOD IT’S NOT NORMAL TO BE GAY,” doesn’t “god” want everyone to be happy? Doesn’t he want them to fall in love? Honestly, a gay couple gets married. The end. It’s not like the world just blew up. Who is it harming?
Man, sometimes I dispise this country.
I support abortion and gay rights 101%
This is totally sick! This is terrible. People should not be denied their rights, especially in a public school system! I support Gay marriage 100%. Michigan needs to realize how wrong this is!