MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle’s Friday The 11th Hour panel thinks they know why Republicans are passing “anti-LGBTQ” and pro-life laws: “to keep the heteronormative paradigm of this country intact” and “keep white men in power.”
Addressing author George M. Johnson, Ruhle asked why Republicans care so much about drag shows, “It is only February and already state lawmakers across this country have introduced over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills. They range from bathroom bans to Tennessee leading the way on a bill to ban drag shows on public property. Well, our nightcap is still here, George, you know I’m turning to you first. Your book, All Boys Aren’t Blue, has been under attack for years. What do you think about this onslaught of bills, I mean, drag shows, who even cares that much?”
While Ruhle left out the tiny detail that the book is considered to be sexually explicit, Johnson claimed that, “we have to get into the reality of the situation, since this came out I believe it's the 2019 or 2020 census, and it basically said, Generation Z was about to be more non-white than white. And was already identifying as 20% LGBTQ and so, when we look at what is happening-- the book bans, we look at Roe v. Wade, when we look at Don't Say Gay bills, they are all tied together.”
Johnson further added that, “This one census that is showing that the demographic in this country is changing so rapidly is the reason that all these anti-LGBTQ bills are coming out, it is the reason why they're trying to force white women in particular to have more children. It all goes hand-in-hand.”
For Johnson, there are three reasons that Republicans are passing these bills none of which were concern about sowing confusion in impressionable children about gender or the sexualization of childhood, “They need, one, they want to keep the heteronormative paradigm of this country intact.”
After Ruhle interjected, declaring it to be “too late,” Johnson continued, “Two, they want to keep white men in power. And three, all of this, like I said, it just goes back to where this country has always started. This country has always oppressed people who were non-white. This country has always oppressed people who were not heterosexual.”
Wrapping up his thoughts, Johnson claimed, “As those dynamics are starting to shift rapidly with Gen Z, as they are my favorite generation, because they are ready for war at all times. We are watching the pushback, primarily, be against them. And I just happen to get caught up in the flow, because I just happen to read a little book on my story about being black and queer.”
To use Ruhle’s s catchphrase, “For facts’ sake,” just because you don’t think boys can become girls does not mean you “want to keep white men in power.”
This segment was sponsored by Angi.
MSNBC The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
2/24/2023
11:49 PM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: It is only February and already state lawmakers across this country have introduced over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills. They range from bathroom bans to Tennessee leading the way on a bill to ban drag shows on public property.
Well, our nightcap is still here, George, you know I’m turning to you first. Your book, All Boys Aren’t Blue, has been under attack for years.
GEORGE JOHNSON: Yes.
RUHLE: What do you think about this onslaught of bills, I mean, drag shows, who even cares that much?
JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, we have to get into the reality of the situation, since this came out I believe it's the 2019 or 2020 census, and it basically said, Generation Z was about to be more non-white than white. And was already identifying as 20% LGBTQ and so, when we look at what is happening-- the book bans, we look at Roe v. Wade, when we look at Don't Say Gay bills, they are all tied together.
This one census that is showing that the demographic in this country is changing so rapidly is the reason that all these anti-LGBTQ bills are coming out, it is the reason why they're trying to force white women in particular to have more children. It all goes hand-in-hand.
They need, one, they want to keep the heteronormative paradigm of this country intact.
RUHLE: Too late.
JOHNSON: Two, they want to keep white men in power. And three, all of this, like I said, it just goes back to where this country has always started. This country has always oppressed people who were non-white. This country has always oppressed people who were not heterosexual.
As those dynamics are starting to shift rapidly with Gen Z, as they are my favorite generation, because they are ready for war at all times. We are watching the pushback, primarily, be against them. And I just happen to get caught up in the flow, because I just happen to read a little book on my story about being black and queer.
RUHLE: A little book.
