Books with Straight Characters Turned Me Gay

The real indoctrination? Erasing us in the name of God.

This week, the Supreme Court considered whether LGBTQ+ people, and families like mine, should be seen at all in public education. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, parents are asking to opt their kids out of anything that includes LGBTQ+ people. Not sex ed. Not behavior discussions. Any mention, in any lesson. The reason: exposure to LGBTQ+ people alone is a violation of their religious freedom.

The example cited in court? Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, a picture book where a young girl attends her uncle’s same-sex wedding.

Let’s be clear: this case isn’t about curriculum. It’s about censorship and control, and the outcome could set a legal precedent that allows schools to erase real people in the name of protecting personal beliefs.

I grew up with nothing but straight characters. All it did was make the shame last longer. And I’m still gay.

What They’re Really Asking For

This case asks the Court to declare that any exposure to LGBTQ+ stories is harmful enough to merit constitutional protection for those who object. Not participation. Not endorsement. Exposure.

Think about that. Merely reading or hearing about queer people, or seeing a photo of a same-sex couple, could be enough to demand removal. Not because the content is graphic or age-inappropriate, but because some find the existence of LGBTQ+ people objectionable.

In Tuesday’s arguments, conservative justices Alito and Kavanaugh questioned why schools couldn’t just let families opt out. Liberal justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson pushed back, asking whether this logic would also apply to evolution, interfaith marriage, divorce, or a gay teacher with a wedding photo on their desk.

The answer was: maybe. No one arguing for opt-outs could say where the line should be drawn. Which means, when they’re done coming for me and my family, they will come for yours.

I’m a Gay Parent. This Hits Home.

I’ve seen firsthand how representation saves kids. How access to stories about people like them builds confidence, safety, and community. I’ve had students who said they hated to read sign up for a waitlist so they could read a book with a queer character from my classroom library. I’ve seen them light up when they see a family that looks like one they couldn’t imagine was possible for them.

Now I’m a parent, and watching people in power debate whether my child should be allowed to see families like ours is insulting.

Let me say it plainly: straight characters in books didn’t turn me gay. If queerness were contagious, there’d be a lot more of us. So why do we keep acting like queerness is a threat that needs to be managed, while ignoring the deep harm that comes from erasure?

This isn’t just about a picture book. It’s about whose lives are allowed to exist in public. If books made us queer, then my bookshelf growing up would’ve been a gleaming rainbow - but it was only filled with straight characters and the plight of heteronormative ideas of love, loss and struggle.

This Is Censorship

What’s being asked here is not neutrality. It’s the selective removal of people from public view.

It’s the same logic that allowed businesses to refuse queer customers. The same fear that pulls books from shelves without reading them. The same double standard that says LGBTQ+ identities are inherently political, while straight ones are treated as neutral.

We can’t keep pretending these are isolated events. They are coordinated efforts to reshape public education into something smaller, narrower, and less human — and as a tool for state-mandated religious indoctrination under the guise of parental rights.

If religion is going to shape our schools, laws and healthcare, then it’s beyond time churches start paying taxes. The separation of church and state isn’t theoretical. It’s constitutional.

What You Can Do

If you love someone queer — your niece/nephew, your friend, your neighbor — this moment demands more than quiet agreement. You don’t have to be queer to be outraged. You just have to care who gets to be visible. Start there.

• If you’re a parent: Ask your school board to provide an audit of the communities and groups of people that are represented in the curriculum and work with other parents to make sure it represents the broader community.

• If you’re an educator: Keep showing up, but also build your community of disruptors. Check out GLSEN and similar organizations for support.

• If you’re an ally: Show up. Donate the books. Say the thing so others who are vulnerable don’t have to be the ones always risking retaliation. Stand up for and with the educators.

• If you’re part of a queer family: Keep telling the truth. We see you. We need you. The more they try to put us in the shadows, the brighter we shine.

Want to help more people feel seen? Start with this:

What’s a book, show, or moment that made you feel recognized for the first time? Respond in the comments or share this with someone to let them know you have their back.

We don’t need neutrality. We need courage. It will literally save lives. How will you show up?

-matt

Extra Credit Opportunities to Learn:

Listen to young people discuss their own lived experiences, and the importance of visibility and allyship, then get more involved with The Trevor Project.

On queer history, check out: Pride (FX) and The Book of Queer (Discovery+) both on Hulu.

There was a waiting list in my classroom library for the Heartstopper graphic novels, but you can also watch on Netflix.