Speaking of banning 'homosexual propaganda', members of one of the largest opposition parties here in Poland have recently been trying to criminalize sexual education.
Well, if it ain't strawman, I don't really know what is.
First of all, the proposition for the bill was put up to debate by people (250 000 people signed the petition, or something around that), so there's that.
Second thing is, the proposition would effectively ban only sexual education that is so ridiculously over-the-top that I honestly can not believe to this day that it somebody can propose it with straight face - like teaching pre-schoolers about boons of masturbation and stuff.
And most importantly, it was about stopping the sexualization of young people, with the actual wording being:
"The same penalty* applies to whoever promotes or commend sexual activities by children below the age 15** or supply them with items helping with conducting such activities".
*The penalty from the previous paragraph, about promoting pedophilia, which is up to two years in prison.
**Legal age for sexual activities in Poland; interestingly, while you can screw around being 16, you can not take your own naked photos.
So yeah, if I am to choose between kindergarten 'fun corners' where children are endorsed to touch each other's private parts, and this legislation, I am all in for legislation.
As for the biggest opposition party, there will be probably next to no move in polls, but it seems that next year they will indeed stop being the biggest opposition, and will become the ruling party instead. Again, I might add, as Law and Justice already ruled in 2005-2007.
a) Point taken, at the time of writing I had a brainfart. But point stands, they put it up as a serious proposition.
b) Ahahaha, no. It is, as the least cynical, an attempt to backdoor (no pun intended) abstinence-only education. More realistically, it's cultural warfare. The change proposed in the bill is very short and very simple - 'whoever publicly propagates, encourages or supplies minors below the age of 15 to partake in sexual behaviors will be punished likewise [as someone convicted for propagation of pedophilia]'
It does not specify any specific cutoff point of 'ridiculous' - it's broad enough that anything that dares to affirm that children don't grow their sexual organs at 15 is punishable. Or, for that matter, telling them that birth control is a thing.
Meanwhile, the initiative's reasons for introducing that is delightfully transparent - hell, if you
look at their website, their logo is a crossed-out rainbow. GEE, I WONDER WHAT COULD THAT IMPLY?
It's also quite enjoyable in how scare-mongering it is - the mysterious, malicious, capital-T 'They' (DUN DUN DUN) abound, so do scare quotes, with the name of the tab with the information about the proposition is 'THEY'RE COMING FOR YOUR CHILDREN'.