A suburban New
York high school has censored a scheduled appearance by
noted transgender author and activist Kate Bornstein after
complaints from a local businessman. Bornstein was
scheduled to speak to students next week at Fox Lane
High School in the upscale suburb of Bedford, one of
among 60 speakers approved by the board of education for the
school's annual Wellness Day.
However, school officials canceled her
appearance after a local businessman saw that her
personal Web site contained sexually explicit
material. He complained to the superintendent of schools
that Bornstein's message would be inappropriate for teenagers.
Bornstein, who transitioned from male to female
in the late 1970s, planned to talk to the students
about alternatives to teen suicide, the subject of her
new book. She says she is disappointed her talk was
canceled, telling The Journal News newspaper,
"I knew it was a big responsibility.... It was brave of them
to bring in a freak like me."
This is the second speech by a prominent LGBT
activist that's been called off in the past two weeks.
Late last month, Kevin Jennings, founder of the Gay,
Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, canceled his speech
at a nearby high school after objections from parents
there. (Sirius OutQ News)
