Kids in Kansas now need a fake ID to watch queer content

Last year, a town in Tennessee decided that simply presenting as queer in public was a move against public decency. Now, in Kansas, lawmakers have passed a bill that makes it all but impossible for minors to access and view shows with queer-affirming content. It gets worse: under the law, queer content that simply shows queer people living their lives is classified as content platforming “homosexual acts.” By positioning queer entertainment as being just a step away from adult content, conservative lawmakers are finding sneakier ways to make sure kids are denied any access to queer representation.

As Alejandra Caraballo reported, anti-gay politician Kris Kobach is leading the charge. In the past, Kobach has been responsible for trying to block gender changes on trans folks’ birth certificates, as well as sending letters to Kansas public schools explaining that teachers must out queer and trans kids to their parents.

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The new law goes into effect on July 1, right after Pride month.

It’s getting increasingly scary out there for queer kids. Between the book bans and this new law, which is essentially an age-based media ban, it’s becoming harder and harder for queer and trans kids to bypass gatekeeping and find content that represents them. Which makes you wonder…

Honestly, if we’re taking into account the collective intelligence level of Kobach and Co., it seems like they just might believe that you can catch the gay from watching Steven Universe. If only it worked like that!

As some commenters are explaining, this measure has even more sinister implications when we consider the possibility of data theft, ID theft, and user tracking.

And let’s not assume that what happens to queer people will remain a queer issue alone. As the Sex Workers Outreach project explained, ID verification bills like this one have horrifying implications for bodily autonomy.