“Just Easier When You’re Not Openly Queer”: Students Respond to Texas School District’s Fight Against LGBTQ Protections

Couples walk the hallways at Carroll Senior like they do at any other high school: holding hands, kissing goodbye before parting for seventh period. But only the straight ones, according to Emma. An outspoken senior who loves reading and launched a “banned book” club last year, she says she never publicly displays affection with her girlfriend at school and avoids attracting unwanted attention to her sexual orientation at all cost. She’s overheard homophobic slurs in casual conversations and has seen her friends get called them too. If Emma—who is using a pseudonym because she is not out to her parents—is assigned a personal essay in English class and writes about a relationship, she changes pronouns to male to obscure her orientation. She explained to me…

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