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February 27, 2007

Gender Benders At Health Conference
By Barb Anderson
February 2007

The 27th Annual Minnesota School Health Education Conference was a real education in redefining terms about sexuality. Just as George Orwells classic novel 1984 depicts a world where the meaning of words is topsy-turvy (known as Newspeak)so, too, were conference attendees greeted in the exhibit area with a new distorted definition for the word gender. Gender, instead of male or female, now means an identity of choice based on feelings and sexual desires. This Orwellian dishonesty will certainly add to the sexual confusion of many young studentsall in the name of health education!

This is the first year that the conference exhibit area included the Gender Education Center headed by Debra Davisa.k.a. David Nielson. David Nielson (dressed as a woman in a hot pink blouse and hat at the Gender Education Center booth) was the subject of controversy in 1998 when he came out at Southwest High School in the Minneapolis Public Schools as a transgender high school librarian woman. Now recently retired, he is the Executive Director of the Gender Education Center and uses the name Debra Davis. Dressed as a woman, he has given over 900 workshops and presentations in the past 16 years.

On display in the Gender Education Center booth were pro-gay videos for classroom use such as Its Elementary and Both Of My MomsNames Are Judy. One handout stated, Boys need to have access to dolls and dress-up clothes (which should be both male and female).

In another handout, the Minnesota Family Institute was the subject of criticism at the Gender Education Center booth entitled, Countering the Backlash Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students, Families, and Staff in Minnesota Schools. The article claims to give a behind-the-scenes look at what happens at an S.O.S. seminar, along with strategies that community members can use to successfully counteract anti-LGBT methods.

In spite of the negative propaganda, once again the Minnesota Family Institute was able to maintain a highly visible presence at the health conference. At the MFI booth, packets and handouts were distributed to teachers and college students telling about our S.O.S. seminars, the truth about homosexuality and hope for change.

As gender is being redefined in health education, we would do well to remember what Lincoln was fond of asking, If you call a dogs tail a leg, how many legs does a dog have? Five, his audience would respond. Lincoln would then point out that the correct answer is four. Calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg. And calling a man a woman does not make him a woman. Just because someone calls a lie truth, does not make it truth.

A record number of college students attended the health conference this year. Conference MC, Bob Wandberg, introduced them by saying, Well folks, you've just seen our future.

Lets hope our college students will learn to spot the lies and embrace the truth. The health and future of this next generation depend on it.

Action Step: Find out how your school district defines gender. Host an S.O.S. seminar to educate your community about the gay agenda in the public schools. For more information about S.O.S., contact Abby at 612-789-8811 ex. 212.

SPONSORS OF THE 2007 SCHOOL HEALTH CONFERENCE

Bemidji State University, Department of Physical Education,
Health, & Sport and Center for Extended Learning
The Lake, the learning, the life. Since its founding in 1919, Bemidji State University has been a center of intellectual, cultural, social, and economic life in northern Minnesota. Click here to learn more.

Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, Applied Learning and Technology
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill is the nation's leading educational publisher for grades 6-12 and publishes materials for use in private business, trade and technical schools, and two-year colleges. Click here to learn more.

Holt Rinehart & Winston - A Harcourt Education Company
Holt, Rinehart & Winston is a recognized leader in secondary educational publishing. Since 1866, it has been in the business of helping teachers teach and students learn. Click here to learn more.

Macmillan/McGraw Hill
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, the elementary school publishing unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is dedicated to educating children and to helping educational professionals by providing the highest quality materials and services. Click here to learn more.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Health Science Department
Minnesota State University is a leader in scholarship, culture, and sport. The University's economic, social, and cultural impact on the region is significant. Minnesota State University prepares students for life in a changing, competitive world. Click here to learn more.

Saint Cloud State University - Saint Cloud, MN
Saint Cloud State University combines the advantages of a larger university with an emphasis on smaller class sizes, personal attention, and hands-on approaches to learning. Saint Cloud State University offers more than 175 majors, minors and pre-professional programs that give you a strong liberal arts foundation with specialized career preparation. Click here to learn more.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is committed to protecting citizens and communities through activities that promote and support prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, education, and enforcement. These objectives are achieved through a focus on saving lives, providing efficient and effective services, maintaining public trust, and developing strong partnerships. Click here to learn more.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS for
2007 SCHOOL HEALTH CONFERENCE

Nancy Anderson	Duluth Public Schools
Rod Dobey	St. Cloud State University
Muriel Gilman	Bemidji State University
Gail Grimm	Winona State University
Juli Hegedus	Brooklyn Jr. High
Nancy Johnson	Columbia Heights Sr. High
Roberta Kaufman	St. Paul Public Schools
Sara Lessman	Highland Jr. High
Kathryn Menke	Highland Sr. High
Stacey Nelson	St. Francis Jr. High
Randy Nitchie	Osseo Public Schools
John Rohwer	Bethel University
Kim Slegers	Northfield High School
Dolly Strumbel	Eveleth, MN
Bob Wandberg	St. Paul Public Schools

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952-361-4931 www.edwatch.org - edwatch@lakes.com

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