Connor McManus, one of Britain’s youngest councilors and named ‘Young Councillor of the Year’ in 2022, assumed office at 22 with a mission to increase LGBTQ+ representation in the local Scottish government. However, over the last two years, he has experienced constant homophobia that has only intensified after he gifted an LGBTQ+ pride flag to a local high school.
A New Opportunity
The school had earned charter accreditation from LGBT Youth Scotland, signifying its commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. McManus saw an opportunity to show support.
A Grateful School
McManus presented the pride flag to the school, and the students’ joy was evident. A photograph of the celebration with students and teachers was shared on social media.
Accusations
Despite his intentions being supportive, McManus found himself targeted with accusations. He was labeled a “pedophile” and accused of attempting to force discussions about sexuality on schoolchildren.
Out of Control
When commenting on the accusations, McManus said, “There were indoctrination claims – people claiming that I was encouraging kids to identify as whatever they want, there were snide comments about transgender rights. It was out of control.”
Innocent School children
While McManus expected some backlash, what saddened him the most was the hate extended to innocent schoolchildren. Detractors even took pictures in front of the school to condemn what they called an “abomination of a flag.”
Public Discrimination
For McManus, the homophobia he faces isn’t contained to the internet. Even when he is out in public with his partner, he continues to experience discrimination.
Holding Hands
McManus said, “Growing up, I thought that I’d be able to hold my boyfriend’s hand while walking down the street someday – but that doesn’t seem to be the reality anymore.”
Marriage Equality
Despite Scotland recently legalizing same-sex marriage, it didn’t instantly erase prejudice. McManus believes this stark reality is different from what people might envision when they think of ‘modern-day Scotland.’
Discouraging Prejudice
McManus says his experiences in office have also discouraged other LGBTQ+ individuals with political aspirations from stepping forward. McManus says, “These are people that could make a massive difference in their communities, but they’ll never do it because they’re fearful of what that would bring to them in their personal lives.”
An Increase in Hate
Scotland has seen an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in recent years, with official figures indicating a steady increase since 2014. In the 2022-23 period, homophobic and biphobic hate crimes spiked to 33%, more than doubling in the last decade.
One in Five
According to Stonewall, one in five LGBT+ individuals in Scotland has experienced a hate crime or incident in the past year solely because of their identity. On this, McManus says, “I love my job and I love my community – I would never change it. It’s just this one part that’s severe and raises its ugly head whenever I say anything in public.”
Just This One Part
Despite the challenges, McManus remains determined to effect change. He says, “The positives far outweigh that. The positive change that you can do in a job like this is unbelievable.”
Public Response
In response to this situation, McManus is unfortunately still receiving a great deal of backlash online. However, some have offered a more balanced response.
Flags in School
One social media user commented, “I don’t believe this young man deserves all the hatred, but I also do not think schools are the place for flags of any sort except a state and National Flag.”
A second user said, “Stop sex in schools. Simple.”
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The post Promoting Inclusion or Indoctrination? Councilor Accused of Pedophilia After Gifting Pride Flag to High School first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock /Melinda Nagy. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: MSN