As Daily Kos continues to cover, Republicans are more than happy to mobilize their voter base against LGBTQ+ folks leading up to midterm elections. LGBTQ+ people—and especially those who live with more than one marginalized identity, like trans sex workers and queer people of color—have always faced structural barriers thanks to conservatives (and, at times, Democrats as well), but the recent push in anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is a decided step into the extreme.
Matthew Gerhold, an openly gay music teacher based in Iowa, told the Iowa Capitol Dispatch he was forced to resign from his job at a private Christian school after he was blackmailed over his sexual orientation. According to the music teacher, personal pics and other information were taken from his cell phone and posted to the Valley Lutheran High School Facebook page. Though Gerhold told the outlet the school already knew he was gay, he says the school placed him on administrative leave immediately following the leak.
Oh—and Gerhold alleges he tried to report the blackmail to the police, but was told they didn’t have enough resources to investigate.
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According to Gerhold, he went to his employer when he began being blackmailed back in January. He also alleges he told the school he was gay when he was hired the previous summer and the school simply suggested he stay closeted and “not pursue a relationship” while employed. He also says he was instructed not to come out to students. Is this fair? No. Is this okay? No. But at a private, religious school, it’s not surprising.
What else, sadly, is not surprising? According to the former teacher, the same day his information was leaked against his will, the school pastor (who also serves as a member of the school board) suggested he resign instead of being fired at the next meeting. Gerhold took the pastor’s advice and resigned the same day—only to later have the school fight him on unemployment benefits.
In speaking to the Dispatch in an interview, Gerhold said the school doesn’t see his sexual orientation as “involuntary” and instead views sexuality as a choice.
“I wasn’t the first gay man the church has done this to,” he continued. “And I won’t be the last because the church doesn’t want to listen to understand my story or background.”
Gerhold went on to promise he won’t leave teaching entirely because of this situation, stressing that his sexual identity has “nothing to do with” his career and love for music.
If the church as a whole doesn’t want to use me for whatever they are striving to achieve,” he added. “Then I shall go somewhere else that would love to have me to live out my vocation for others.”
Again, because it’s a private school, Gerhold (sadly) doesn’t have the protection he deserves. But this also isn’t the only time an LGBTQ+ teacher has been fired or pressed to resign because of their orientation or allyship. For example, an openly gay teacher with literal decades of experience was fired in Ohio over giving out Pride bracelets to high schoolers. A new teacher in Missouri resigned after saying he was ordered to take the Pride flag in his classroom down. An openly queer teacher was fired after allowing students to paint Pride flags in art class. A volleyball coach alleges they were pressured to resign because of their sexual orientation. A college professor of more than several decades says they were fired for bringing an openly gay guest speaker (and former alum of the school) to speak to their class.
It goes on, and on, and on. Republicans like Ron DeSantis who push Don’t Say Gay laws are a disgrace, but we have to remember LGBTQ+ teachers (and people in general) face oppression and barriers across the nation, not only in states run by Republican fearmongers.
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