1/
This woman's speech at a school board meeting–after a school sent emails advertising a "family friendly" drag show for kids (sponsored by a 21+ gay bar)–is so good I'm going to transcribe it and explain why it's so effective.
Watch the whole thing, and let's go through it
🧵
This woman's speech at a school board meeting–after a school sent emails advertising a "family friendly" drag show for kids (sponsored by a 21+ gay bar)–is so good I'm going to transcribe it and explain why it's so effective.
Watch the whole thing, and let's go through it
🧵
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1570030760098242561
2/
I want you all to be able to do this, that means knowing WHY her speech was effective. So let's go through it
"I just want to know what it is that makes a drag show family friendly? If you follow it to it's logical conclusion you can slap family friendly titles on anything...
I want you all to be able to do this, that means knowing WHY her speech was effective. So let's go through it
"I just want to know what it is that makes a drag show family friendly? If you follow it to it's logical conclusion you can slap family friendly titles on anything...
3/
So, she begins with two powerful moves:
1. by starting with a question she forces everyone to really think about what "family friendly" actually means
2. She points out that just because something has the title family friendly, does not mean it is really safe for children.
So, she begins with two powerful moves:
1. by starting with a question she forces everyone to really think about what "family friendly" actually means
2. She points out that just because something has the title family friendly, does not mean it is really safe for children.
4/
continuing...
"You can have family friendly gentlemen clubs, family friendly strip shows, family friendly 50 shades of grey read alouds. Will you approve my flier if I want to host an "all the sex secrets of the Kama Sutra" for kids and families if, it's family friendly?"
continuing...
"You can have family friendly gentlemen clubs, family friendly strip shows, family friendly 50 shades of grey read alouds. Will you approve my flier if I want to host an "all the sex secrets of the Kama Sutra" for kids and families if, it's family friendly?"
5/
That line is a great use of humor to illustrate the point. She asks the question to set up the topic, makes the point about what family friendly means, and then illustrates the point with a funny example. That's a great opener and it sets her up her next point beautifully...
That line is a great use of humor to illustrate the point. She asks the question to set up the topic, makes the point about what family friendly means, and then illustrates the point with a funny example. That's a great opener and it sets her up her next point beautifully...
6/
cont':
"What is it about a grown man, costumed in a sparkly bra with augmented boobs bursting out, and a mini skirt barely covering his twerking ass, with duct tape on his front, spreading his fish-netted legs as he writhes on the ground grinding his groin next to a minor..."
cont':
"What is it about a grown man, costumed in a sparkly bra with augmented boobs bursting out, and a mini skirt barely covering his twerking ass, with duct tape on his front, spreading his fish-netted legs as he writhes on the ground grinding his groin next to a minor..."
7/
This is a great use of what is called juxtaposition. She uses humor to show that labelling things family friendly doesn't mean they ARE family friendly, then she immediately paints a vivid picture of what an actual drag show is really like.
The effect of this is to show...
This is a great use of what is called juxtaposition. She uses humor to show that labelling things family friendly doesn't mean they ARE family friendly, then she immediately paints a vivid picture of what an actual drag show is really like.
The effect of this is to show...
8/
that drag shows are as "family friendly" as her absurd examples. By following the humorous examples with a vivid picture of a real drag show, she underscores how inappropriate drag shows are for kids in a way that has a lot of sarcastic bite. that way people remember the point
that drag shows are as "family friendly" as her absurd examples. By following the humorous examples with a vivid picture of a real drag show, she underscores how inappropriate drag shows are for kids in a way that has a lot of sarcastic bite. that way people remember the point
9/
cont'
"...'Family friendly.' You owe us an answer. You don't get to hide by just taking something down off peachtree (she means peachjar, a communication app) and calling it a day. You owe an explanation and apology."
This let's them know they're not getting off lightly...
cont'
"...'Family friendly.' You owe us an answer. You don't get to hide by just taking something down off peachtree (she means peachjar, a communication app) and calling it a day. You owe an explanation and apology."
This let's them know they're not getting off lightly...
10/
The next line is brilliant. After she tells them they don't get off lightly she says:
"You all got caught with your spakley panties down."
This line is a bitingly sarcastic take on "caught with your pants down," but in using it this way she mocks them in a very powerful way
The next line is brilliant. After she tells them they don't get off lightly she says:
"You all got caught with your spakley panties down."
This line is a bitingly sarcastic take on "caught with your pants down," but in using it this way she mocks them in a very powerful way
11/
By replacing "pants" in "Caught with your pants down" with "sparkling panties" she calls them out while bitterly mocking drag show fashion. By mocking drag shows she is saying drag shows don't matter,and are not important...it's HER agenda as a parent that is important.
By replacing "pants" in "Caught with your pants down" with "sparkling panties" she calls them out while bitterly mocking drag show fashion. By mocking drag shows she is saying drag shows don't matter,and are not important...it's HER agenda as a parent that is important.
12/
This needs to be stressed. By making sarcastic remarks about drag shows she is letting everyone know she does not care to avoid stepping on the toes of the woke LGBTQ activists who do this stuff...They have to avoid stepping on HER toes. It is HER as the Parent that matters.
This needs to be stressed. By making sarcastic remarks about drag shows she is letting everyone know she does not care to avoid stepping on the toes of the woke LGBTQ activists who do this stuff...They have to avoid stepping on HER toes. It is HER as the Parent that matters.
13/
cont'
"while we have a culture with a massive problem with child porn and child sex trafficking, you, a little school district boars of adults made the decision to feature and event to hypersexualize you children."
This is another great move. She sets up a problem...
cont'
"while we have a culture with a massive problem with child porn and child sex trafficking, you, a little school district boars of adults made the decision to feature and event to hypersexualize you children."
This is another great move. She sets up a problem...
14/
by pointing out there is a massive problem with the exploitation of kids, and then shows how stuff like drag shows for kids makes that worse.
Then comes the big line. She says:
"Do you want to know the word that Defines that? It's gr%^*er"
(I have to censor or I'm banned)
by pointing out there is a massive problem with the exploitation of kids, and then shows how stuff like drag shows for kids makes that worse.
Then comes the big line. She says:
"Do you want to know the word that Defines that? It's gr%^*er"
(I have to censor or I'm banned)
15/
After she drops that she steps on the gas:
"You all played the activist pimp for an align surgical centre and for a 21+ gay bar. It makes you gr&*%ers and activists pimps. And we wont have those sitting on a school board who oversees the education of our children"
After she drops that she steps on the gas:
"You all played the activist pimp for an align surgical centre and for a 21+ gay bar. It makes you gr&*%ers and activists pimps. And we wont have those sitting on a school board who oversees the education of our children"
16/
(fyi, "align surgical centre" does sex reassignment surgery)
She uses a prostitution pimp analogy to say the school board sold out the safety of the kids for a sponsorship from a gender clinic and a 21+ gay bar what sexualizing kids.
But here is what makes this so effective:
(fyi, "align surgical centre" does sex reassignment surgery)
She uses a prostitution pimp analogy to say the school board sold out the safety of the kids for a sponsorship from a gender clinic and a 21+ gay bar what sexualizing kids.
But here is what makes this so effective:
17/
pimp is a dirty term. It is a morally loaded term. A pimp is someone who sells the bodies of others. This woman is saying that by giving a **21+ Gay Bar** and a gender surgery clinic a space to advertise to kids...while trans gender strippers sexualize those kids...
pimp is a dirty term. It is a morally loaded term. A pimp is someone who sells the bodies of others. This woman is saying that by giving a **21+ Gay Bar** and a gender surgery clinic a space to advertise to kids...while trans gender strippers sexualize those kids...
18/
The school is taking sponsorship money in exchange for access to the kids for them to be sxualized. The analogy is, to be fair, a stretch, but it is powerful because it shows there is enough commonality there for the analogy to be understood. The analogy does not need...
The school is taking sponsorship money in exchange for access to the kids for them to be sxualized. The analogy is, to be fair, a stretch, but it is powerful because it shows there is enough commonality there for the analogy to be understood. The analogy does not need...
19/
to be perfect. The fact that the analogy is even close enough that it makes sense shows just how off the rails the school board is.
Then she finally closes:
to be perfect. The fact that the analogy is even close enough that it makes sense shows just how off the rails the school board is.
Then she finally closes:
20/
"You all stepped out of line you should be ashamed. There is nothing loving, there is no, 'lets unite and include' because the logical conclusion of that is diabolical evil. THERE ARE BOUNDARIES and you don't get to slap family friendly titles on stuff to cover your ass"
"You all stepped out of line you should be ashamed. There is nothing loving, there is no, 'lets unite and include' because the logical conclusion of that is diabolical evil. THERE ARE BOUNDARIES and you don't get to slap family friendly titles on stuff to cover your ass"
21/
She closes with a great finisher. Her point is that love without boundaries ends up with diabolical evil. It ends up with adults taking advantage of children and calling it "love" in order to cover up their crimes. When she says "THERE ARE BOUNDARIES" that is a powerful move.
She closes with a great finisher. Her point is that love without boundaries ends up with diabolical evil. It ends up with adults taking advantage of children and calling it "love" in order to cover up their crimes. When she says "THERE ARE BOUNDARIES" that is a powerful move.
22/
The point is she wants a BOUNDARY. She is not interested in letting adults get as close to sexually inappropriate with kids as possible without technically crossing the line, she wants a boundary that stops adults BEFORE they get close enough to the line to cross it...
The point is she wants a BOUNDARY. She is not interested in letting adults get as close to sexually inappropriate with kids as possible without technically crossing the line, she wants a boundary that stops adults BEFORE they get close enough to the line to cross it...
23/
She set that up beautifully.
Now, a couple of final points.
First she showed up with a binder, had her notes, and read when she had to. This woman came prepared. She did not show up and try to make it up as she went. She came prepared and it showed.
Second, she was able...
She set that up beautifully.
Now, a couple of final points.
First she showed up with a binder, had her notes, and read when she had to. This woman came prepared. She did not show up and try to make it up as she went. She came prepared and it showed.
Second, she was able...
24/
to connect all of her arguments to each other. Every single thing she did connected to everything else she did. Each point either built on the last point, or set up the next point. She wasted not time. It was a very efficient use of time. That's important.
Third, she had...
to connect all of her arguments to each other. Every single thing she did connected to everything else she did. Each point either built on the last point, or set up the next point. She wasted not time. It was a very efficient use of time. That's important.
Third, she had...
25/
a focus. She knew which point she had to make, and she went after it.
Finally...she use rhetorically powerful moral language. She did not shy away from the issue or try to appease the other side. She boldly asserted her moral frame in a powerful way.
a focus. She knew which point she had to make, and she went after it.
Finally...she use rhetorically powerful moral language. She did not shy away from the issue or try to appease the other side. She boldly asserted her moral frame in a powerful way.
26/
This is the correct way to do things.
Pick the point you want to make, use strong rhetorical moves, assert a strong moral frame, and make sure everything flows together.
one more thing....
This is the correct way to do things.
Pick the point you want to make, use strong rhetorical moves, assert a strong moral frame, and make sure everything flows together.
one more thing....
27/
She does not slide into bigotry. She uses no slurs, she attacks no identity groups, she doesn't do anything like that.
She never attacks people for being gay or trans...she only goes after the School board for their BEHAVIOUR and DECISIONS.
That's powerful...
She does not slide into bigotry. She uses no slurs, she attacks no identity groups, she doesn't do anything like that.
She never attacks people for being gay or trans...she only goes after the School board for their BEHAVIOUR and DECISIONS.
That's powerful...
28/
Losing your cool and using bigotry looks weak, focusing on accountability for behavior and decisions is the winning move.
Thanks for reading. /fin
I write essays on substack which are free. Please have a look and subscribe if you appreciate my work.
wokaldistance.substack.com
Losing your cool and using bigotry looks weak, focusing on accountability for behavior and decisions is the winning move.
Thanks for reading. /fin
I write essays on substack which are free. Please have a look and subscribe if you appreciate my work.
wokaldistance.substack.com
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