You Can’t Opt Out of Our Existence.

You Can’t Opt Out of Our Existence. Today’s Supreme Court Decision is Abhorrent. 

Today’s decision by the Supreme Court, allowing parents to opt their children out of hearing LGBTQ+ stories in public classrooms, is more than just a ruling—it is a retreat. A retreat from truth. A retreat from inclusion. And a retreat from the responsibility our public institutions have to reflect the full spectrum of human experience.

Let’s be clear: LGBTQ+ people are not stories. We are not controversial topics. We are neighbors, classmates, teachers, and family. The decision to permit the exclusion of our narratives in schools sends a chilling message to every LGBTQ+ child—and to every child being raised in an LGBTQ+ family—that their identities are optional, objectionable, or somehow inappropriate.

This ruling is not about “parental rights.” It’s about the erasure of our community from public life, starting in the classroom. When you make it permissible to silence LGBTQ+ voices, you signal that our history, our contributions, and our very existence are disposable. That harm reverberates well beyond the school walls.

But let us be just as clear about our response: we are not going anywhere.

In every town, in every school district, in every corner of the Upper Midwest, LGBTQ+ people are living with courage, dignity, and pride. We will not be legislated into silence. We will not allow a political or judicial agenda to unravel decades of progress toward visibility and acceptance.

This moment must call all of us—educators, parents, community leaders, and allies—to action. We must ensure that LGBTQ+ youth see themselves reflected in the stories told around them. We must double down on creating affirming spaces. And we must remember that inclusion is not a favor—it's a fundamental right.

Our community is visible. We are proud. And we are staying.