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munson-blurbs · 9 months

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Single Dad!Eddie x Fem!Reader Series

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Summary: Will's birthday party brings back some familiar faces and gives Eddie the perfect opportunity to make amends with Corroded Coffin, but an unexpected interruption might have him hurtling towards his old ways.

Warnings: some dirty talk (18+ only just in case), drinking/drunkenness (everyone is over 21), pregnancy and labor complications, mentions of past bullying

WC: 8.2k

Chapter 14/20

Divider credit to @saradika Special shoutout to @storiesbyrhi and @corroded-hellfire for helping with the fluffy sections and making this piece strong.

Afternoons at Hawkins Preschool are predictable: storytime on the carpet is followed by the kids’ pack-up routine, and once all belongings are shoved into their proper backpacks, they file out the door to go home.

Predictable is good. It’s safe. And it certainly doesn’t include a fire drill half an hour before dismissal.

Herding nine children through the bustling hallways and trying to ensure no one is left behind is overwhelming enough. Factor in the ear-splitting alarm and the surge of adrenaline pulsing through your students once they re-enter your classroom, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for chaos.

Instead of fighting a losing battle to keep the kids calm and quiet, you’d opted to plunk them down with myriad art supplies and called it a day.

Now, after the last student had been picked up, you and Will are left cleaning the mess they’d made. Broken crayons are scattered across the tabletops, there’s Play-Doh of various colors stuck to the floor, and gold glitter—when did you even acquire glitter?—dusts every surface.

“Seriously…who thought that that timing was a good idea?” Will grumbles, tossing a Crayola stub into the crayon basket. He adopts a nasal, mocking tone. “‘What would help out our teachers? Oh, I know—let’s interrupt their dismissal routines!’”

You laugh despite your own exhaustion. Somehow, you’ll have to muster up the energy to tutor Harris tonight.

Will reaches into the cupboard to grab his car keys, turning back around with a smile that he only offers you when he needs something. “Could I ask you for a little favor?”

There it is. “How little?” You cock one brow as you clip a stack of papers together.

“Eensy weensy. Miniscule. Microscopic–”

“The more you say it, the less I believe you.”

“Okay, okay,” Will acquiesces, twirling his keyring around his forefinger. “So, for my birthday thing on Saturday…a bunch of my childhood friends are gonna be there. Mike, Dustin, Suzie, Lucas, Max, Jane…” he lists them, ticking off each name on his fingers. “Anyway, I was hoping that maybe you could talk to Eddie about a Corroded Coffin reunion? I know they’re on a hiatus or whatever, but if anyone can convince him to play, it’s you.”

He’s not wrong; you’re the most likely person to get Eddie to do, well, anything. But asking him to make amends with Danny and Gareth and getting their band to play a gig three days from now seems like a mountainous task.

Will is staring at you, hands clasped together pleadingly. He’s too optimistic for his own good, and you can’t help but give in.

“Fine, I’ll try. But–hey, don’t get excited yet,” you warn when he pumps his fist in celebration. “‘Try’ is the key word here. I’m not making any promises.”

Your admonition goes unheeded as Will already considers it a victory. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You give him a small, tight-lipped wave as he dashes out the door. You and Eddie were already planning to attend the party; you’d spent part of last night scouring an art store for the perfect gift. And he and Jeff were back to being thick as thieves…maybe this could work.

“All right, Mr. Harris,” you say with a laugh, hurriedly placing tiles of various shapes in front of him. You need to make the most of the few minutes you have left until Eddie arrives. There’s a soft, familiar flutter in your stomach as you think about seeing your boyfriend, but you know you can’t compete with him for Harris’s attention. “Can you find the…trapezoid?” The inflection in your voice makes it sound like a much more exciting task than it really is, and you hope it’s enough to wrangle his focus.

Harris pokes out his tiny pink tongue as he assesses the tiles. He initially reaches for the blue rhombus, but as soon as his little finger touches it, he pulls away as though it’s on fire. “No…that’s not it.” You tuck your lips into your mouth to suppress your amusement as he thoughtfully taps his forefinger on his lips. A solid ten seconds pass before he triumphantly snatches up the correct tile. “Got it!” he beams, showing off the red trapezoid in his hand.

“You did! You got the trapezoid!” You hold up your hand for a high-five, frowning when he shakes his head. His overgrown curls brush along his eyebrows, and you wonder if it’s your place to suggest that Eddie take him for a haircut. “No high-five?”

“Nuh-uh,” Harris protests, now swiveling his whole body in defiance. “I want…tickles!” He holds his arms out, leaving his torso wide open.

Lips pursed in faux consideration, you lower your voice to a hushed whisper. “Hmm…I think that warrants a visit from the Tickle Monster!” You flex your fingers so they resemble claws; he instinctively scrunches up in anticipation, arms tucked into his stomach. You let out your silliest wicked cackle as your fingers dig mercilessly into his sides in pursuit of his most ticklish spots. Delighted peals of laughter emanate from his chest, and you don’t stop until the buzzer rings, signaling Eddie’s arrival.

Harris’s eyes get wide, mischief dancing behind his pupils. “Do you think the Tickle Monster should get Daddy?” he asks, keeping his voice low despite it only being the two of you.

“Oh, absolutely.” You buzz Eddie in while formulating the game plan aloud. “I’ll grab the pizza and you go on the attack. Once the food is secured, I’ll join you.” You stick out your pinky, and he wraps his own around it.

“Ms. Sweetheart?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

His words turn your heart into a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven, ooey gooey and destined to crumble if handled too harshly. “I love you, too, Harris,” you manage, blinking back embarrassing tears. The flood of emotion is absurd; he probably tells his stuffed animals that he loves them with the same fervor, but you can’t deny the adoration with which he looks at you.

He flings his arms around you in a hug, squeezing tight. Face pressed to your ribs, his words are muffled but still audible when he says, “I don’t know why Daddy says it’s hard to say ‘I love you.’”

He doesn’t have time to further elaborate before Eddie’s knocking on the door. “Special delivery for my two favorite people!” Your heart beats faster with the knowledge that he’s on the other side, that you’ll be able to sneak in a kiss or two.

You and Harris share devious grins, the little boy emulating your monster-esque stance from earlier. He creeps behind you on his tiptoes, and bites back a giggle when you slowly open the door, counting down from three under your breath.

“Hi–whoa!” Eddie stumbles back as Harris barrels into him, little fingers dancing across his lower stomach. You quickly snatch the pizza box from Eddie’s grasp and place it on the table before darting back to where his son has ambushed him. You start on his bicep and let your nails travel upwards until they reach the crook of his neck.

“I’m under attack!” Eddie yelps, twitching this way and that way in a meager attempt to protect himself. “I bring you pizza and this is how I’m repaid?” He easily scoops Harris into his arms, flinging him over his shoulder. Harris lets out an exhilarated squeal, carelessly kicking his sock-clad feet into his dad’s chest. “Jesus, little dude. You’re getting too strong.” Wincing slightly from the pinch in his back as he places the boy on the floor, he gives his tush a little pat and tells him to wash up for dinner, reminding him to use soap and water.

As soon as Harris scampers off into the bathroom, Eddie’s grabbing you by the belt loops of the wide-leg jeans you’d changed into when you got home. One hand slides around your waist and the other finds purchase on your cheek as he kisses you deeply, keeping a listening ear out for the telltale pitter-patter of Harris returning.

“Missed you,” he murmurs into your mouth, and you shiver at the intimacy this closeness brings.

You laugh quietly, biting your lower lip. “We just saw each other this morning,” you remind him, sneaking in another quick peck.

Eddie shakes his head. “Y’know what I mean. Can’t do this while you’re on the clock,” he counters, shifting his grip so both hands rest on either side of your face. You think he’s going to kiss you again, but he just gazes into your eyes. “Shit, you’re so fuckin’ pretty. Couldn’t stop thinkin’ about you today.” He rests the slope of his nose on yours, only snapping out of his trance at the sound of Harris rapidly switching the faucet on and off. “Let me go check on him before this place is underwater,” he whispers, giving your own ass a smack as he shuffles towards his mischievous son, a cheeky grin deepening his dimples.

You do your best to compose yourself, heat creeping up your neck and into your face. Busying yourself by placing pizza slices onto paper plates does little to distract you; it’s as though every neuron is dedicated to flooding your brain with Eddie, Eddie, Eddie.

The way the pads of his fingertips brush against your cheeks when he holds your face. The plush moisture of his lips when he kisses your forehead. The tickle of his brown tresses when he nuzzles into you and takes a deep breath, finally able to relax after a long day.

“Are you expecting a guest?” Eddie pipes up from the kitchen entrance. A perplexed frown overtakes your lips until he gestures to what you’ve laid out in front of you: four slices of pizza, two plain and two with olives, on four plates.

Your vision gets a bit fuzzy with tears when you realize what you’ve done. “No, it’s, um…” Nostrils flare as you huff out a short puff of air, hot under your nose. “Force of habit, sorry.” You’ve been so diligent about only serving three slices, but your preoccupation with his touch had your mind drifting from the task at hand.

It takes him a moment to process what you mean, but when he does, his face falls. It was for Grandma. “It’s okay,” he says, cringing as the words leave his mouth. Because it’s not okay that you’re sad; it’s normal, but frustration still tugs at his heart that he can’t take it away.

It feels wrong to return the slice to the box, so you leave it where it is. Eddie balances the three plates, sliding a plain one in front of Harris. The boy digs in hungrily, sauce caught on the edges of his smile.

“How was work?” you ask Eddie, grabbing a napkin from the pile in the center of the table. It’s a simple question, one that people ask each other all the time, but it stirs up a warmth inside of him. It’s you asking him, fostering a domestic routine that he could follow for the rest of his life. He’d walk through the door of your house, wiping his shoes on the welcome mat you two had picked out together. The kids–Harris, plus another Little Munson or two–would practically knock him down trying to greet him, and he’d engulf them in bear hugs before reaching out to you, kissing your forehead with a murmured, “there’s my girl.”

“Eds?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, it was good.” He stumbles over the words, trying to clear his head of the fantasy he’d conjured up. “Lotsa paperwork, y’know.” He takes a bite of pizza, chewing thoughtfully. “What about you?”

You shrug, watching amusedly as Harris sinks his teeth into his slice and manages to pull all of the cheese off of the crust in one fell swoop. “The usual. The kids are learning about springtime, so Will decided to do a craft making flowers using finger paint and their handprints.”

“Sounds messy.”

“Oh, absolutely,” you agree with a weary grin, “but it was super cute, and Will is great with all that art stuff.” You excuse yourself from the table to get the water pitcher and three glasses, stopping when you remember your TA’s request. “He also asked me if a certain local metal band could play his birthday party on Saturday…?”

Eddie pauses mid-chew, nearly choking on his food. The cheese seems to congeal in his mouth when he tries to speak. “Um, I don’t know about that,” he finally manages, nervously massaging the back of his neck. “I haven’t talked to Danny or Gareth since…”

“I know, but you said you wanted to make things right with them,” you point out. “Maybe Jeff can test the waters? See if they’re ready to talk to you?”

“Maybe.” He averts his gaze, staring at the pizza slice without taking another bite.

You don’t want to further push the subject in Harris’s presence; instead, you turn your attention to the little boy. “Anything fun happen at school today, Har?”

“Nah,” he responds automatically just a half-second before his eyes light up. “Actually, yeah! My friend Charlie ate a bug at recess today!”

“Ew!” you exclaim, wrinkling your nose in pure disgust, as Eddie simultaneously poses the question, “what kind of bug?”

“An ant,” Harris answers his dad nonchalantly, as though ant-eating is an everyday occurrence. Perhaps it is, which is even more unsettling.

“Did you eat any bugs?” You’re afraid of his response; you’re unsure why you even asked in the first place.

To your relief, he shakes his head, a forlorn look on his cherubic face. “No, I couldn’t catch any in time.”

“Thank God for small miracles,” you mutter, turning back to your original task of getting something to drink. Though if the topic of bug consumption continues, you’ll need something much stronger than water.

Could Corroded Coffin play again?

It’s a thought that consumes Eddie for the entirety of his drive home, barely able to listen to Harris yammering about how there’s a coin in his jacket pocket that he doesn’t remember putting there. He throws a few lackluster mhms his son’s way and hopes he’s too distracted by the mystery coin to catch on.

We’re getting the band back together. Well, if Jake and Elwood Blues could swing it, maybe he could, too.

He waits until Harris is asleep to call Jeff. Getting his son to do his bedtime routine is easiest on Wednesday nights; he’s usually exhausted after a full day of school and tutoring. The one time that Eddie could use an excuse to procrastinate, Harris is out like a light.

Go to voicemail go to voicemail go to—

“‘Lo?”

Shit. “H-Hey, man,” Eddie begins awkwardly. “How’s it going? Viv doing okay?”

“We’re good. She’s ready to have this baby already. I reminded her, ‘just two more weeks,’ but then she told me to ‘fuck off’ until I’m the pregnant one, so…” he chuckles, more nervous than amused. “Everything good with you? Harris?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. Just, um,” he struggles to find the words, blurting out the first ones that enter his brain. They come out in a rush before he can stop them. “Do Gareth and Danny still hate me?”

Jeff takes a sharp breath in; his reaction does nothing to temper Eddie’s nerves. “They never hated you. They were just…disappointed? Jesus, I sound like my mom.”

Eddie misses his friend’s anecdote, too wrapped up in his head to fully pay attention. Somehow, disappointed stings worse than the prospect of being hated, especially when the people he’s let down are ones who used to idolize him. “Do you think there’s a way they could be…undisappointed in me? Like, enough to forgive me and maybe play a gig this weekend?”

There’s an extended pause, and then a one-word response: “Christ.”

Eddie can picture Jeff rubbing his eyes in exasperation, and he scrambles to explain. “Will Byers–you remember him? He was in Hellfire; had that weird bowl cut thing going on?”

“Mhm.”

“He’s having a birthday thing at the Hideout on Saturday and asked if we could play. Just a coupla songs.”

Jeff thinks for a moment; Eddie can hear him drumming his fingers on a nearby surface.

“Why don’t you come over tomorrow night around…6?” he ventures. “I’ll invite the guys and we can…I dunno, figure something out.”

“Thanks, man. I owe you.” He’s about to hang up when he remembers to ask, “Can I bring Harris?”

“Of course.”

“Har, slow down!” Eddie’s barely unbuckled his son’s car seat before Harris has wriggled out of the sedan, bolting straight for Jeff’s door.

“But I haven’t seen Uncle Danny and Uncle Gareth in forever!” he laments, reaching the house far faster than Eddie. He stands on tiptoes and rings the doorbell like a madman, forefinger jamming into the button at warp speed. “Uncle Jeff! It’s me!”

Jeff opens the door with a huge smile. “Mini Munson!” He scoops the boy up into a hug. “What’s new with you, little dude?”

“I got a wiggly tooth!” Harris exclaims, jutting out his jaw and pressing his tongue against the front center of his mouth. Sure enough, the baby tooth moves slightly forward, and he giggles. “Daddy says the Tooth Fairy’s gonna come and leave me a dollar,” he matter-of-factly reports. He peeks his head over Jeff’s shoulder, squealing and squirming out of his grip when he spots the two men sitting on the couch. He flings himself onto the sofa and plunks himself down into Gareth’s lap. “Hi!”

“Hey, kiddo!” Gareth chirps. “You’re getting so big.”

“‘M five now. I had a birthday party because I turned five.” He splays out his palm to offer five fingers.

“Did your friends go?”

“Yup!” Harris beams at the memory. “An’ Daddy an’ Grampa Wayne an’ Ms. Sweetheart.”

Danny furrows his brows. “Who’s Ms. Sweetheart?”

“She’s my almost-mommy. Daddy has to fall in love with her first.”

“Is that so?” Gareth smirks at Eddie. His teasing look is the first crack in the wall that has separated the men for the last six months, and though Eddie is thoroughly embarrassed, it alleviates some of his anxiety.

“Uh, Har Bear, why don’t you go hang out with Auntie Viv while I talk with the guys?”

Viv holds out her left hand, looking utterly exhausted. Her right hand rests on her bump, eyes sending a telepathic message to Jeff that they have five minutes—ten minutes, if Harris behaves well—to come to a solution before she needs a break.

Silence filters into the room as Eddie fumbles to address the mess he’s made. If Danny and Gareth are here, they’re at least willing to listen to him, which is honestly farther than he’d assumed he’d get.

He remembers what Harris said about apologizing; technically, what you’d taught him about apologizing: the act of saying sorry, not merely implying it, makes a world of difference.

“I was an asshole,” he starts. It’s not his most eloquent statement, but it certainly gets the point across. “Not just that night at the Hideout, or at our last practice. I was an asshole for a long time before that. And…I’m sorry.” It feels good to say it; it feels even better that they’re nodding, seeming to believe him. “You guys didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

Of the rest of the band, Gareth is the one to speak first. “I guess I’m just wondering, why? Why be an asshole to us? We’ve always been there for you.”

“I know.” Eddie fiddles with a thread hanging from his t-shirt, pulling on it until it snaps off. He shoves it in his jeans pocket, not wanting to mess up Jeff and Viv’s place. “Honestly…I’m not sure, but I think it’s because you guys are everything I’m not.”

“What are you talking about?” Danny asks, tone heavy with disbelief.

“In high school, I was the one you looked up to. The person you wanted to be like. And then I had a kid with some random chick I thought I knew but barely did, gave up my dreams of being a musician, and started selling weed again just to scrape by. And here you guys are. Jeff,” he motions to the friend leaning against the sofa’s arm, “you have a baby on the way with the love of your life. And all of you have goddamn college degrees and jobs that you don’t despise and don’t require you to hide from the law.” He shoves his ringed fingers into his jacket pockets, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. “And I was nothing.”

Gareth scratches at the upholstery with one finger, absorbing everything he’s just heard. “You know we never stopped looking up to you, right?” He gives a short laugh when Eddie’s eyes widen. “Yeah, man. Leaving Chicago so you could take care of Harris? Putting your kid before yourself? That’s pretty badass.”

Danny nods. “Ed, if there’s someone here to look up to, it’s you.” Both he and Eddie visibly relax. Shoulders drop from their hunched positions, thin lips unfurling into smiles. “No matter what you went through, you never gave up. Even if it almost killed us,” he adds wryly, referring to all of the sleep-deprived Corroded Coffin practices fueled by black coffee and pure adrenaline.

“No fancy diploma can teach us how to stand up for ourselves, or how not to take shit from people, or how to be a dad,” Jeff pipes up from where he’s standing. “We learn from you, man.”

Eddie’s cheeks burn at the compliments, unsure how to accept them. He’d walked in expecting to have to beg for forgiveness, and they were the ones reassuring him. It’s now or never, and he forges ahead while he still has the courage. “Do you…can we get the band back together?” Can we be friends again is the underlying plea, but it’s too vulnerable a statement to make. “We’ll keep it low-key, I promise. Work, family, anything comes up…we can cancel or reschedule. And I won’t be a dick about it.”

The three other men look at one another, nod and turn back to Eddie with smart grins and mischievous glimmers in their eyes.

“On one condition.” Gareth crosses his arms over his chest, smirking as he sinks back against the couch. “You tell us all about this ‘Ms. Sweetheart.’”

The Hideout, normally dingy and coated in a film of sticky ale, has been decked out for Will’s birthday party. Helium-filled balloons in every color bob along the low ceiling, vibrating with the thumping bass of the old sound system. Crepe paper streamers–purple, Will’s favorite color–sway gently with the air that rushes in from opening the door. This has to be Marshall’s handiwork, and it brings a smile to your face. If anyone deserves a partner who fawns over him, it’s Will.

You spot him surrounded by a group of people as the bartender slides a row of tequila shots across the bar and into their eager hands. While they’re distracted by alcohol, you take the opportunity to dart towards the backstage area.

Eddie’s there, digging around for his lucky pick. You wrap your arms around his waist, fingers pressed into the soft dough of his tummy.

“Hey, Rockstar,” you murmur against his neck, kissing just below his earlobe.

He turns around, jaw dropping when he sees you in a maroon slip dress. The heels on your feet have you two inches taller than usual, and he has to shift where his gaze normally lands to meet your eyes.

“Fuckin’ Christ, baby,” Eddie practically growls, kissing you deeply. One hand presses against the small of your back while the other grabs the plush of your ass, kneading it in his palm. “You’re so fuckin’ sexy. How’m I gonna go out there and play with you looking like that?”

“I’ll make it worth your while.” You giggle when he offers up a bemused smile. “If you do a good job tonight, I’ll give you a reward.” You let your fingertips graze over the metal teeth of his pants zipper, feeling him twitch at your light touch.

“You’re dangerous,” he winks, delivering another kiss; this time, he gives your lower lip a little bite when he pulls away. His kohl-rimmed eyes draw you in just as they did that first night you’d met, but now you dive into them without the fear of drowning.

A tactful “ahem” from the now-open doorway startles both you and Eddie, having been floating in an embrace that’s equal parts comfort and desire.

“Sorry to interrupt the lovefest, but we’re on in five,” a man’s voice calls from the doorway. You turn around to see the other three Corroded Coffin members standing there, amusement evident in their expressions.

“You must be Ms. Sweetheart,” one of the guys, soft curls resting atop his head, pipes up. His tone is teasing, but not mocking; the nickname is said with admiration and affection. “I’m Gareth, by the way.”

“Danny,” the one with tight, wiry curls offers, giving a small wave.

Jeff just shrugs. “You know me.”

Eddie grabs his guitar, slinging the strap across his body. His pants’ fly is tight, and he wills himself to calm down before it’s time to perform. He hasn’t worried about being hard on stage since he was nineteen, but thoughts of your bodies perfectly melding into each other has him subtly adjusting himself as he turns his back to his bandmates.

“See ya out there, baby,” he says before pressing a quick kiss to your cheek. The brief contact between you has you biting your tongue in self-beration for suggesting that the band play tonight. All you want is to dance with him, allowing the steady flow of alcohol to dull your inhibitions as you pull him impossibly close. Not caring who sees or what they think.

But this night isn’t about you or Eddie. It’s about Will, your TA-turned-friend who has kept you sane amidst your adorably chaotic students and their decidedly less adorable and more chaotic parents. He wanted Corroded Coffin to play his party, and that’s the least you could do for him.

Will’s already teetering between tipsy and inebriated, breath tinged with the scent of tequila as he introduces you to his friends.

“This is my amazing boyfriend, Marshall.” He smacks a wet kiss to the man’s cheek. “And these are my friends from growing up: Dustin and Suzie, Lucas and Max, and Mike and Jane.” His face melts into a sappy grin as he leans on Marshall to hold him up. “You guys! We’re all in looooove!”

“Jesus Christ,” Dustin mutters, rolling his eyes and shaking his head before turning his attention back to you. “Can we get you something to drink?”

Will raises his empty glass. “I’ll take another–”

“Not you.”

You manage to sneak in a quick conversation with Max, Suzie, and Jane before Corroded Coffin starts their set. Max is finishing up her Masters in English literature at New York University, set to graduate in two months. Suzie programs for NASA, and though Florida is a far cry from her home state of Utah, she loves her job. And Jane is a social worker at a local adoption agency, the cause close to her heart, as she was adopted by Chief Hopper years ago.

“Damn,” you laugh, taking a small sip of your vodka soda. You’re having so much fun that you don’t even care that it’s been watered down. “You’re all such badasses!”

Your admiration of their collective girl power is cut short by the sound of Corroded Coffin taking the stage. It’s as though they’d never taken an extended break; just picked up right where they left off. You cheer so loudly that there’s a pinch in your throat, but you push past it. It’s more than applause. There’s so much tucked away in your yell: I’m proud of you; you’re a rockstar; you’re my person forever, if you’ll have me.

“Hello, Hawkins!” Eddie bellows into the mic. There’s no missing the grin on his face. He’s happy. He’s in his element. He’s where he belongs.

“No way!” Lucas exclaims, awestruck as he turns to Will.

“Dude, you got Corroded Coffin?” Mike mirrors his friend’s excitement. He slings an arm around Will’s shoulder and pulls him in for a side hug. “This is fuckin’ awesome!”

“The first song of the night goes out to our guest of honor, Will Byers!” Everyone hoots and hollers as Eddie plays the opening chords to The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go. Eddie told you he remembered that the song was one of Will’s favorites growing up; his older brother had gotten him into the band. Sure enough, Will’s bopping to the rhythm, singing every word, albeit quite off-key.

Corroded Coffin plays a few more songs from their usual setlist, nerves dissipating with each note, before Eddie speaks into the mic again.

“This next one is for my beautiful girlfriend,” he announces, eyes gazing into yours. “Baby, if my teachers looked like you, I actually would’ve gone to class.”

He nods at Gareth, who starts playing an incredibly complicated beat. As soon as you hear it, you feel your cheeks heat up. The rest of the guys join in on their own instruments, and Eddie oozes bravado as he sings.

“T-Teacher stop that screamin’ Teacher don’t you see Don’t wanna be no uptown fool.”

Max leans in to you and whisper-shouts, “I’ve known Eddie for years, and I’ve never seen him so…happy.”

Lucas overhears his girlfriend and adds his two cents. “That’s because we’ve never seen him in love.”

Warmth spreads all over your body, but it’s not from embarrassment. Allowing yourself to believe that Eddie loves you—is in love with you—opens a door you’d deadbolted until the time was right. You hadn’t wanted to rush things, but the jolt of exhilaration following Lucas’s statement means you can’t deny it any longer: you love Eddie Munson. You’re in love with Eddie Munson.

“Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad I'm hot for teacher I've got it bad, so bad I'm hot for teacher.”

Will takes the opportunity to twirl you around, and you laugh as you spin amongst new friends, your drink threatening to spill over the sides as he turns you faster.

“Hey! Thank you, by the way!” he shouts, probably a bit louder than he needs to.

“For what?”

“For getting Corroded Coffin to play!” He jerks a thumb towards the stage, stumbling a bit as he does. He’d managed to sneak another tequila shot when his boyfriend left him unattended to use the restroom, and it definitely shows. “And for, like, being there for me.”

You give him a hug, immediately understanding the full implication of his statement. “I’ll always have your back,” you promise, filled with the mingled buzzes of alcohol and belonging.

“I think of all the education that I've missed But then my homework was never quite like this!”

Eddie jumps off of the tiny stage and into the crowd of nine twenty-somethings, each at various levels of tipsiness, and reaches for you to pull you close to him. He’s sweating from constantly moving around and the stage lights, his fingers slick with perspiration as he laces them with yours. Jeff picks up the rhythm for the lead guitar while Eddie kisses you, soft and slow and sensual. He loses himself for a moment before hopping back up to join the rest of the band.

As Corroded Coffin wraps up their Van Halen cover and stops for a quick sip of water, there’s a small commotion behind the bar.

“Is there a Jeff Reynolds here?” the bartender calls out, phone receiver in hand.

Jeff gives a little wave, eyebrows raised in surprise. “That’s me.”

“Someone named Jess on the line? Says your girl is in labor and you need to get to the hospital.”

“Holy shit!” Danny claps a hand to Jeff’s back and grins. “C’mon, man! Let’s get you outta here!”

Jeff freezes up; hands clammy as he grips the guitar’s neck. “Can you drive?” he asks Eddie.

Eddie recognizes the fear in his friend’s voice. The selfish part of him wants to refuse to take Jeff to Hawkins General. He could easily plant his feet on the stage and keep playing, claiming that ‘the show must go on.’

No, he silently chastises himself, Jeff needs me. He needs me and I’ll be damned if I let him down again.

“Of course,” Eddie says, trying to force a relaxed disposition. It doesn’t matter; Jeff is too overwhelmed to notice the obvious effort.

“Take my car,” you offer, keys already dangling from your fingertips. “Eds, I can take yours and pick up Harris from Wayne’s tomorrow.” It’s easier to swap rides than to uninstall and reinstall the carseat, so you’re perplexed when Eddie shakes his head.

Two words slip through his lips, soft but pronounced: “Need you.”

Dustin catches wind of the situation and insists on watching Harris until you and Eddie can come back home, claiming he needs to squeeze in as much uncle-nephew bonding time as possible before returning to Florida.

“Henderson, it’s late; don’t let him stay up,” Eddie warns as he tosses over his car keys.

Dustin tries catching them in one hand, but they hit the center of his palm and fall to the ground. “But the best part of being an uncle is breaking the rules!” he laughs as he scoops the keys off of the floor. “By the way, I’m not drunk; just a shit baseball player.” Still, Eddie’s sigh of relief is audible when Suzie plucks the keyring from Dustin’s hand.

With Harris taken care of, you turn your attention to your boyfriend. Eddie’s face is flushed pale, and you’re worried about him behind the wheel. “Want me to drive?”

He nods and grabs onto your hand as you lead the two men to your car. Eddie’s doing his best to keep Jeff calm, reminding him that the doctors and nurses have everything under control until he gets there.

“I’m gonna be a dad,” Jeff murmurs, a disbelieving chuckle permeating the otherwise silent car. “Holy shit.”

Eddie can’t help but smile back. “It only gets crazier from here.”

The bright lights of the hospital’s waiting room are anything but soothing, especially compared to the dimly-lit bar you’d just left. You speak to the receptionist, an older woman with a tired smile and red-rouged cheeks, explaining the situation as she pages Jess while Jeff and Eddie take a seat.

Jeff’s voice is nearly impossible to hear despite the stillness of the room. “The baby was breech at Viv’s last appointment.” He clocks Eddie’s confusion and elaborates. “Feet first, instead of the head. If they didn’t get into the right position and the doctors can’t, I dunno, flip ‘em around? They’ll have to do a c-section.” Long overdue tears spill over his lash line, and he makes no attempt to swipe them away. “I just wanna fix it and I can’t.”

Helplessness. It’s a feeling Eddie knows all too well. He spins a ring around his finger, exhaling softly as he considers a response. He can’t say it’ll be alright, because he has no idea whether or not it will be. He and Jeff both know that.

“No matter what, I’m here for you.” Eddie’s gaze flits over to the receptionist’s desk, where Jess has now arrived and is waving her brother-in-law over. “You’re up.”

But Jeff remains in his chair, hands shoved under his thighs as though they’re glued to the seat. “I…I don’t know if I can do this. What if something happens to Viv or the baby? How can I…?” He doesn’t allow himself to complete the sentence, to finish the thought.

Instinctively, Eddie puts his hands on Jeff’s shoulders. He can feel them trembling slightly as his friend heaves another shaky breath. “Listen to me. You’re gonna do this. You’re gonna go in that room and watch your girl give birth to your baby. Because if you don’t, you’re gonna regret it for the rest of your fuckin’ life.” He glances around and lowers his voice. “I know you’re scared, okay? I get it. And once your kid is safely here, we can talk about it. But right now, you need to pull it together and go be a goddamn dad.”

Jeff nods, finally acquiring the physical stability to stand. “Thank you,” he whispers, clearing his throat and wiping the wet stains from his cheeks. He starts towards Jess before turning back to Eddie. “Could you stay until the baby’s born? If you have to get home to Harris, I understand…”

There it is: his out. He can easily use his son as an excuse, despite the fact that Dustin and Suzie were perfectly capable of babysitting him. He can hightail it out of here and never look back. He can crawl into bed and feel sorry for himself for having to step foot in a godforsaken maternity ward again.

“Yeah. I can stay.”

Nearly an hour passes with Eddie’s head resting on your shoulder, relaying what Jeff told him. Identical knots form in your stomachs as the seriousness of the complications sets in. You don’t say a word as he speaks; you just try to shift without disturbing him. The cushion on the chair back, worn thin, digs into you uncomfortably, but you don’t dare move too much. His vulnerability is a deer that will scamper away at the slightest startle.

You think he’s fallen asleep until you feel his soft lips on your cheek, a muffled, “mine?” against your skin. You note his phrasing; it’s careful and unsure, a symptom of being in his own head for far too long.

“Of course I’m yours,” you whisper back, pressing a kiss to his scalp. “What’s got you asking such silly questions?”

“I don’t like this.” It’s an answer and non-answer all in one.

“Being in a hospital?”

He shakes his head, frizzed curls tickling the crook of your neck. His forehead is sticky with cooled perspiration. “Waiting to see if the baby is okay.”

The realization hits you like a punch to the stomach, immediately hollowing you out. The last time he went through this, it was when Harris was being born. You can’t think of anything to say, so you just nuzzle in closer to him and exhale.

“Why do I feel like this?” Neither of you are sure if he’s asking you, himself, or the universe. “‘S not the same. Viv’s not using drugs; Jeff stuck around the whole time…”

“Doesn’t matter. That’s not how this stuff works, y’know?” You adjust your position so you can look into his eyes. The whites are stained red with worry and exhaustion. “Your gig got interrupted, just like when Harris was born. And there's uncertainty now, too. It’s normal for these kinds of memories to get dredged up.” Your palm rests on his cheek, thumb gently stroking the skin as you ask, “can you try to get some sleep?”

“But what if Jeff needs—”

“I’ll wake you up if he needs you,” you reassure him, settling back into the chair. You lean your head against the wall; the heaviness in your eyelids battles the anxious fluttering in your stomach, but it seems as though sleep is winning.

Eddie’s hand finds your forearm, rubbing up and down the gooseflesh that has appeared courtesy of the air conditioning blasting through the building. Shrugging off his jacket and resting the leather fabric over your shoulders, he can relax once he’s reassured that you’re comfortable. He assumes his previous position, using your shoulder as a pillow and falling asleep gradually, body jostling itself awake from the unfamiliar sleeping arrangement. Eventually, you can hear his soft snores; for the first time tonight, he’s peaceful.

You could tell him now, a whisper under your breath that he’s unlikely to hear. I love you, Eddie. I’m in love with you. Your lips part in anticipation, but you snap them shut. You’re delirious and overwhelmed; Lucas’s throwaway comment about Eddie being in love is rattling around your brain. If you say it and Eddie hears you…

You keep it to yourself for now, letting your body rest while still supporting Eddie’s head. Tomorrow is a new day, with a new life brought into the world. Love—if that’s even what this is—will have to wait until then.

The soft pink of breaking daylight streams through the windows when Jeff wakes Eddie up six hours later, shaking him by the shoulders.

“What the fuck?” Eddie grumbles, wiping the sleep from his eyes. When he registers where he is and the potential urgency of the situation, he sits up straight, head filling with fuzziness from the sudden movement. He wouldn’t call the evening restful, but he’d managed to doze off for longer than he’d expected.

“It’s a girl!” Jeff announces, beaming from ear to ear. He’s bouncing on the balls of his feet, bursting with enthusiasm and emotion.

As soon as Eddie’s vision clears, he’s on his feet and pulling his best friend in for a giant hug. When he steps back, he realizes that he and Jeff sport matching misty eyes. “Dude, you’re officially a dad now. You have a daughter!”

“I have a daughter,” Jeff repeats incredulously. His eyes cloud with tears, and he blinks them away as he peers over at the empty seat next to Eddie. “Did your lady go home?”

Eddie swivels around, so caught up in the moment that he hadn’t realized he was alone. She left. She left without me; she didn’t want to stick around and deal with–

“Did Viv have the baby?” Your excited voice penetrates through his intrusive thoughts as you stroll in from the hallway. The makeup around your eyes is smudged; you’d tried to wipe some of it off in the bathroom, but water and thin hospital paper towels are no substitute for makeup wipes. “Sorry, I had to pee.”

Eddie smiles at the sight of you, still wearing his jacket. He hopes his sigh of relief is concealed by Jeff’s exuberance. “A girl. Six pounds, ten ounces.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Wanna meet her?”

“Of course!” You and Eddie begin following him down the corridor. “Wait, is Viv feeling up to having visitors?” You’re mildly ashamed to admit that, in your eagerness, you’d forgotten about the baby being breech and the possible c-section.

Jeff nods. “I think my daughter’s gonna be a gymnast, ‘cause she’d flipped herself back around between the appointment and last night.”

There’s no masking Jeff’s pride when he says my daughter, and it makes Eddie want to hug him again. “That’s amazing,” he murmurs. There’s a small pang in his heart, a bead of resentment that Harris’s birth didn’t go so smoothly, but it’s unimportant right now. His best friend just became a father, and he refuses to let his own hang-ups take away from this moment.

“Hi,” you whisper when Jeff opens the door to room 1007. Viv is propped up against pillows, exhausted but happier than she’s ever been before. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the hours-old bundle in her arms. “How are you?”

“Sore,” she replies truthfully, brushing her forefinger against her baby’s closed fist, “but the epidural was a lifesaver.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you tease, unaware that your words have Eddie’s heart skipping a beat at the idea of you bearing a little Munson. “Is it okay if I hold her?” You don’t want to intrude on the new mother’s bonding time, but your insides turn to mush when the baby opens her tiny lips and yawns.

Viv carefully places the newborn in your arms, and you gingerly adjust to support her head. Eddie swears that you holding a baby, in that dress, wearing his jacket, is the prettiest thing he’s ever seen. “Did Jeff tell you her name?” Viv asks, stifling a yawn. When you and Eddie both shake your heads, she smiles and glances at her partner.

He clears his throat, suddenly bashful. Eddie forces himself to tear his gaze from the way you smile and coo at the baby and look over at Jeff. “Her name is Nicolette,” he starts, “but that’s a big name for a little girl, so we figured we can call her Ettie, and she’ll kinda…share a nickname with you.”

Eddie’s eyes go wide, convinced he heard incorrectly. “You…I’m her namesake?”

“Mhm,” Jeff confirms, the grin never leaving his face. What neither you nor Eddie know is that they had had a different name picked out, and had fully intended on using it until the first time Jeff held their daughter. It filled him with a feeling of wholeness, of being complete, and it strangely had him thinking of his best friend. Without Eddie taking him under his wing, he might not even be here to experience this.

It was only by chance that he had stumbled upon Hellfire Club during his freshman year. He was running from Billy Hargrove and his posse, who were determined to beat the hell out of him simply because they could, and had ducked into the drama room to protect himself. Eddie had taken one look at his face and immediately recognized the expression of fear and defeat from being incessantly bullied. “You know how to play Dungeons & Dragons?” he’d asked, and when Jeff had managed a nod, he’d pulled up a chair and motioned for him to sit down.

Being Eddie’s friend, being part of something, gave him a reason to keep going. To live. And in that instant, he vowed to teach his child to extend kindness toward any misfits who need a place to be themselves.

“What about Nicolette?” he’d asked Viv. “Ettie for short.”

You turn to Eddie now, continuing the steady rocking rhythm that keeps Baby Ettie calm. “What do you say, Mr. Namesake? Wanna hold her?”

There’s a brief flash of panic that floods through his veins; he hasn’t held a newborn since Harris. He’d always worried about dropping him or tripping and falling. Truth be told, he was terrified until his son could hold his own head up.

It’s similar, but not the same, he reminds himself, shuffling even closer to you so you can safely transition Ettie into his arms. She stirs slightly in her swaddle but doesn’t cry.

“Hey, little lady,” he says, a delicate smile dancing on his lips. “I’m your Uncle Eddie. The coolest uncle you’ll ever have, for the record.”

“Harris is gonna love her,” you add, heart swelling at the imagery of him cuddling up to his newest cousin.

“Babe?” Viv pipes up from the bed. “Can you grab me something to eat? ‘M starving.”

“Yeah, of course.” Jeff turns to Eddie. “Come with me? I think Viv needs to feed Ettie, anyway.”

Viv extends her arms and Eddie begrudgingly hands the baby to her. Ettie’s so adorable and small, and it makes him yearn for the days when Harris was that little. Maybe not the sleepless nights or the lack of head control, but the scent of baby powder, the toothless smiles, the way he would fall asleep in Eddie’s arms to whatever song happened to be on the radio. Harris Munson might have been the only infant to be soothed by Twisted Sister.

The two men make their way to the hospital cafeteria, sneakers squeaking along the freshly-waxed linoleum tiles.

“I, um, I’m really proud of the way you stepped up for Viv,” Eddie says, eyes trained on the floor. “You’re a great partner. I feel like I should be taking notes.”

Jeff laughs, shaking his head. “That's where my expertise ends. I have no idea how this whole fatherhood thing works.”

“Wanna hear a secret?” Eddie leans in, shifting his weight onto one foot. He doesn’t wait for his friend’s response to divulge, “none of us do. We’re just…” he waves his hand aimlessly, “…figuring it out as we go.” And making plenty of mistakes along the way, he silently adds.

“I don’t know how you did this alone,” Jeff puffs out an incredulous breath. “I mean, I know you had Wayne’s help…” he trails off, not needing to further elaborate on the missing parent.

“Yeah, me either, man. I’m just glad I’m not alone anymore.”

Jeff stops walking, turning to face him. There’s the unmistakable look of pride that manages to make itself prominent despite his evident exhaustion as he says, “You really want this with her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, man,” Eddie chuckles. “It’s like, for the first time, I’m not just thinking about just me or just Harris. I’m thinking about us as a family.” The dinnertime conversations, the gentle ribbings, the tenderness that seamlessly weaves itself into vulnerable conversations.

“She’s good for you,” Jeff agrees. “And you love her.”

“I mean, I—”

“That was a statement, not a question. You love her.”

And in a single breath, Eddie lets go of the fear he’s been clutching to like a life preserver. The one thing he hasn’t allowed himself to say aloud because it makes it so real, so fucking real.

“I love her.”

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centrally-unplanned · 2 months

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Since I blogged on this before, with a unanimous vote the Supreme Court rejected Colorado's attempt to remove Trump from the ballot. It has a few provisions as to why but I think this is clear enough:

This case raises the question whether the States, in addition to Congress, may also enforce Section 3. We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency.

if its a federal office, its regulated federally (Simple as).

However, there is a fun wrinkle! Sotomyer, Kagan, & Jackson dissent from some of the rationale:

Although only an individual State’s action is at issue here, the majority opines on which federal actors can enforce Section 3, and how they must do so. The majority announces that a disqualification for insurrection can occur only when Congress enacts a particular kind of legislation pursuant to Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. In doing so, the majority shuts the door on other potential means of federal enforcement. We cannot join an opinion that decides momentous and difficult issues unnecessarily, and we therefore concur only in the judgment.

If you recall (you don't, why would you?), there was a split in the debate here, over whether Amendment 14, Section 3 *requires* an act of congress to label someone an insurrectionist, or if it is simply descriptive of that label, and other methods at the federal level - primarily the court system, a *conviction* of insurrection/treason by a federal or even military court - would also qualify. The three above believe the majority to be settling in favor of the former, saying that only acts of congress can qualify for the 14th (and they disagree). So it seems like this decision has limited the power of the courts, passing it to congress (though not fully, this is enough dissent that I think a challenge could work in the right context)

Pretty neat actually to see the exact distinction we discussed embedded in the actual decision, and confirmed to be in dispute ^^

Funnily enough Barret also dissents along this metric. But she can't directly concur with Sotomayor and co because she is a Republican and they are the enemy. And she also has this to say:

The Court has settled a politically charged issue in the volatile season of a Presidential election. Particularly in this circumstance, writings on the Court should turn the national temperature down, not up. For present purposes, our differences are far less important than our unanimity: All nine Justices agree on the outcome of this case. That is the message Americans should take home.

Much apolitical, so judicial, wow.

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1americanconservative · 4 months

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I have a hard time believing an 80 year old grandma storming the Capitol armed with a water bottle is considered an insurrection.

Although I do believe 3.2M illegal aliens and terrorists crossing our southern border is.

Joe Biden should be removed from all ballots. Amendment 14 section 3 agrees with me.

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mouseratz · 3 months

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hey guys I know there's a lot of anti-trans shit but this one's from Georgia. they're calling it "the woman's rights bill".

I think there might actually be more, but this one caught my attention first. Basically it changes everything relating to gender in many bills to regard to biological sex specifically, and while that's worrying, it doesn't stop there. (it includes obviously making it very difficult to change your license or any kind of ID.)

(14) Laws, rules, and regulations that distinguish between the sexes are subject to intermediate constitutional scrutiny. Intermediate constitutional scrutiny forbids unfair discrimination against similarly situated male and female individuals but allows the law to distinguish between the sexes where such distinctions are substantially related to important governmental objections: and (15) Notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary, distinctions between the sexes with respect to athletics, living facilities, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, restrooms, and other areas where biology, safety, or privacy are implicated that result in separate accommodations are substantially related to the important governmental objections of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of individuals in such circumstances.

basically, you could get in trouble for "sex discrimination" by not being in your biologically sorted bathroom, locker room, etc. this seems very easy to weaponize.

individuals in such circumstances. (c) Any local school system, or public school thereof, and any state agency, department, or political subdivision that collects vital statistics for the purpose of complying with antidiscrimination laws or for the purpose of gathering accurate public health, crime, economic, or other data shall identify each individual who is part of the collected data set as either male or female at birth."

pretty much any governmental place, specifically including public schools, can record your sex, that's information they're entitled to.

Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal procedure, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 17-4-20.2, relating to Bias Crime Report, requirements, use of reports, and publication, as follows: "(a) Whenever a law enforcement officer investigates an incident of a crime in which it appears that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, whether or not an arrest is made, the officer shall prepare and submit to the law enforcement officer's supervisor or other designated person a written report of the incident entitled 'Bias Crime Report.' Forms for such reports shall be designed and provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The report shall include: (1) Names of the parties; (2) Relationship of the parties; (3) Sex and gender of the parties; (4) Race of the parties; (5) Religion of the parties;

SECTION 5. Said title is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 17-10-17, relating 107 to sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice and identification of 108 increased sentenced, as follows: "(b) Subject to the notice requirement provided in Code Section 17-10-18 and in enhancement of the penalty imposed, if the trier of fact determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, the judge imposing sentence shall:

also, very worryingly, sexual orientation & gender are no longer included as reasons for a biased/prejudice crime investigation (aka a hate crime). yup. sexual orientation has been omitted here, not just sex/gender. how are you "lgb without the t" types feeling? it's not a hate crime anymore if you attack someone because they're gay, either, if this goes through.

I don't have a succinct call to action here, I just figure it's good to know. apparently they just.....all decided at once to try to push transphobic bills through.

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theconstitutionisgayculture · 2 months

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"There should be no situation where a student is talking to their teacher about sexuality or gender identity anyway." It doesn't specify talking to the teacher about it. It specifies if the teacher learns it. Doesn't matter how they learn it. If the kids friend makes an off hand comment and the teacher overhears then they're required to out them to their parents.

So, looking into this further, the bill mentioned in that ask, Arizona HB 2711, has nothing to do with requiring teachers to tell parents anything. It's a bill about restricting short term rentals from 2021. I think the bill they meant to talk about was SB 1166, which was introduced this year. Here's the full text of that bill as it currently stands:

AN ACT AMENDING TITLE 15, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 15-120.05; RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE) SB 1166

1 - 1 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: 2 Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised 3 Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-120.05, to read: 4 15-120.05. Pronouns; first name; biological sex; parental 5 notification; prohibition; policies; definition 6 A. A PUBLIC SCHOOL MUST NOTIFY A STUDENT'S PARENTS NOT LATER THAN 7 FIVE SCHOOL DAYS AFTER THE FIRST TIME THAT AN EMPLOYEE OR INDEPENDENT 8 CONTRACTOR OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL KNOWINGLY ADDRESSES, IDENTIFIES OR REFERS 9 TO THE STUDENT BY EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING: 10 1. A PRONOUN THAT DIFFERS FROM THE PRONOUN THAT ALIGNS WITH THE 11 STUDENT'S BIOLOGICAL SEX. 12 2. A FIRST NAME OTHER THAN THE FIRST OR MIDDLE NAME THAT IS LISTED 13 ON THE STUDENT'S OFFICIAL SCHOOL RECORDS, EXCEPT THAT AN EMPLOYEE OR 14 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR MAY ADDRESS, IDENTIFY OR REFER TO A STUDENT BY A 15 NICKNAME THAT IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE STUDENT'S NAME OF RECORD. 16 B. SUBSECTION A OF THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY IF THE STUDENT IS AT 17 LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. 18 C. A PUBLIC SCHOOL, SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL MAY NOT 19 REQUIRE AN EMPLOYEE OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TO ADDRESS, IDENTIFY OR 20 REFER TO A PERSON BY A PRONOUN THAT DIFFERS FROM THE PRONOUN THAT ALIGNS 21 WITH THE PERSON'S BIOLOGICAL SEX IF DOING SO IS CONTRARY TO THE EMPLOYEE'S 22 OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR'S RELIGIOUS OR MORAL CONVICTIONS. 23 D. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD AND CHARTER SCHOOL 24 GOVERNING BODY SHALL ADOPT POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION. 25 E. THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT ANY PERSON DESCRIBED IN 26 SUBSECTION A OF THIS SECTION FROM DISCUSSING MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN 27 OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE PERSON'S OFFICIAL DUTIES. 28 F. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "BIOLOGICAL SEX" MEANS A 29 PERSON'S IMMUTABLE BIOLOGICAL SEX AS DETERMINED BY ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, 30 GENETICS AND HORMONES EXISTING AT THE TIME OF THE PERSON'S BIRTH. 31 Sec. 2. Severability 32 If a provision of this act or its application to any person or 33 circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other 34 provisions or applications of the act that can be given effect without the 35 invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this 36 act are severable.

Sorry for the formatting, I copied it from here, which is a PDF file of the actual bill.

So, from this we can see clearly stated that it only applies to an employee or contractor of a public school (basically teachers and substitutes) knowingly addresses, identifies, or refers to a student by a different gender or name other than the one on their birth certificate, or a commonly used nickname for their full legal name. There's nothing about sexuality in there at all, and even if there was, it wouldn't apply to a teacher overhearing students talk about their sexuality, it would only apply to any teacher that knowingly refers to a child by that sexuality out loud, which they should never be doing anyway.

If there's a different bill introduced this year that mentions informing parents about sexuality, feel free to link it to me and I'll read it. But this is what I found when I searched.

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withoutyouimsaskia · 1 year

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Remember Me, Special Dreams

Part XV.

GIF: Originally posted by @imironstark

Summary: Self-insert. You're having trouble with recurring night terrors and Morpheus pays you a visit. (Title from the lyrics of Placebo’s Special Needs)

Warnings: language, angst, mentions of night terrors.

Word Count: 1.6k

A/N: Hey peeps. I’ve been going through previous chapters to refer back to things and I’ve noticed a worrying trend of Tumblr taking random sentences and putting them out of order. I’ve been amending them but only managed to get half way through so far... Anyway, hope you enjoy this one, it is so very soft, much needed after the last one. Have a good evening, all my love, Saskia <3

Sandman Masterlist

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You remain there in the safe encirclement of Morpheus' arms, focusing on the pressure his hands exert on your lower back. The feeling of the hidden strength in his lean, lithe frame. His intoxicating scent, that is usually stimulating, is even more addicting now that you are pressed right against him.

It is sensory overload on another plane.

The embrace lasts for an indeterminate period. All sense of time has ceased. Everything you know is your sadness and his closeness.

You are a trembling, agonised collection of cells, with every nerve ending viciously vying for your attention.

Morpheus is the definition of serenity and you are the polar opposite of that adjective. If anything, right now, it feels like he is neutralising your despair, or at least helping you stop any more coming to surface and consuming your mind.

You understand that at some point, you will have to let go, and the notion of it pains you.

You nuzzle your face against his chest, and it is not lost on you at how needy the feline-like movement is.

Yet you don’t care. He doesn’t protest and the act is soothing.

The sensation of his coat against your cheek is softer and more luxurious than any material you have ever felt, even more so than cashmere. There's something else too; an otherworldly current running in the black fabric that hums with the cleansing resonance of a singing bowl.

You hold tighter still. Going from touching solely the collar of his coat to also a section of skin at his neck. It is cool under your clammy palms. A steady pulse ticks just under the pale surface; you dial into the rhythm and use it to calm yourself.

You count the beats. It takes 1000 of them before the tears eventually stop streaming and your breathing regulates.

Your grip loosens fraction by fraction as your drop in adrenaline turns your muscles from a twitching solid back to something more pliable.

Morpheus then withdraws, and the loss of contact is ache-inducing. You are immediately toying with the edge of your sleeve to distract from it, then upgrading to anxiously grasping your hands together when you feel the overwhelming emotions gaining traction again.

Seeking eyes rove across your reddened and blotchy visage. His voice is the whisper of mist on an autumn morning.

"Do you wish to talk about what happened?"

Your bottom lip quivers.

There are no words at first.

Then they come all at once.

A downpour. A deluge. A flood.

“I shouldn't have gone to that bar. Everything would be fine right now if I had listened to my needs. Been assertive instead of defaulting to being a pushover. I have so much evidence that proves that I’ve never been totally happy in those kinds of group settings and knew I wasn’t ready to be exposed to all those people, but I cared more about their opinions of me than I did about my own well being.”

Morpheus’ raven brows draw together and you can almost swear that you see a darkness flash in his eyes.

“Did someone hurt you?” He says lowly.

"Not physically," you clarify quickly before drawing a deep breath in through your nose. “I saw my ex.”

His jaw clenches at the mention of the person however, he remains silent.

“They’re engaged to someone else,” your voice is warped and creaky.

"I know I broke things off but I have been grieving our relationship and yet it seems like they've just moved on without a backwards glance.”

Your throat is thickening with uncomfortable heat.

“I guess I feel like they’ve replaced me so easily."

You swipe angrily at the tears on your face.

"I don't even know why I am reacting like this. I chose this path. I should just be happy for them, instead of dragging you back into my drama and wasting your time…”

You trail off, moving backwards one pace.

Guilt is starting to prickle in the back of your mind. Not too long ago, you had been reprimanding yourself for having less-than-platonic feelings for Morpheus. You had fantasised about kissing him, and had then gone through with it. Did that make you a hypocrite?

Tightness seizes your chest as the velocity of your mental spiral kicks up into 5th gear.

Morpheus steps forward to meet you.

"You do not have to explain your feelings to me, nor do you have to give them justification. Allow yourself to feel, Y/N. It will do you no good to smother your emotions.”

You want to believe him, to act on his advice but it is tough. You have no idea how to answer.

"I'm so sorry, Morpheus," you choke out.

His response is earnest and gentle, “You have nothing to apologise for.”

Self-loathing takes over from remorse.

“Yes I do. I put in so much fucking effort to steady myself, to quell my threat to The Dreaming and none of it has made any fucking difference. You must be so disappointed in me.”

You fix your attention on the pictures on the walls.

"Y/N, look at me."

You can’t do as he asks. You shake your head as your cheeks are wetted again.

He’s suddenly cradling the back of your head with his right hand. Willing you to connect your gaze with his.

The pull to look is potent. You acquiesce.

“This is a setback. Your progress has not been eliminated. You will stabilise again.”

The compassion in his ocean eyes is disarming.

"You are stronger than you realise, Y/N."

Your heart clenches. Maybe he is right. You have come remarkably far since the week of the night terrors.

You nod, moisture once more blurring your vision. You want to nestle back against him so you do it, sliding your arms around his slender waist.

You can feel his heart beating against the side of your face and you go back to counting the pulses. You wait until 500 of them sound before talking again.

"I should let you get back. I don't want to take up anymore of your time," you say the words against his chest.

"Come with me," he whispers.

You leave his arms, shaking your head, adamant that you cannot rely purely on him, and determined that you will not cause him anymore problems.

"You are hurting. I will not simply abandon you."

Guilt and discomfort twist your face into a grimace.

He looks at you with regal obstinacy. "I will not take no as an answer."

You appreciate that there is no getting out of this. And while it reads like Morpheus is clearly used to getting what he wants, you can also see that his persistence is coming from a place of care.

"Okay. But only for a little while."

"No, you will accompany me for the duration of every night until I am satisfied that your distress has been allayed."

"Absolutely not. I don't want to distract you."

"You would not be a distraction. I will complete my work as intended.”

Your brain is a flurry of activity, weighing up this suggestion. You are really tempted for you have really missed Morpheus.

"So it will be like job shadowing?"

"If it helps to think of it like that, then yes."

You nod slowly. “Where to first then?”

With a graceful movement of his hand, Morpheus indicates to the door.

There's a whoosh of cold air; you blink instinctively and when you recover, your surroundings have completely altered.

Lush green has been replaced by a much darker palette. Sand sits beneath your feet, midnight black in colour, buffeted into lazy swirls by a persistent breeze. There are mountains too, made up of a marl of greyish and brown rock. Low hanging storm clouds scud across a bleak looking sky, the sun barely peeking through the blanket.

It's rather desolate but breathtaking nonetheless. Completely different to the rest of the heart of the Dreaming that you have thus far seen.

You hear Morpheus’ footsteps retreating. Turning to follow, you are suddenly confronted by the truth of your location.

You are just outside of the perimeter you had spied from the palace ramparts. Positioned directly before the gates.

Gates that make all others pale in comparison.

You are gaping.

Sweeping, pointed arcs stretch up the walls and beside the doors. There are likenesses of animals and symbols that you recognise from your world. Beings and objects that you have no point of reference for. And faces. So many faces.

The detail. The scale. The history.

Stories were being told in these carvings.

Powerful emotions blossom in your soul. You are truly humbled.

You drag your wide-eyed gaze from the intricate monument to Morpheus.

A little smile pulls at his lips.

“The Gates of Horn and Ivory,” he states.

Wind whipping his coat, Morpheus strides towards the gate and lays his hands upon the pale stone.

An energy surge cuts through you, the remnants of it fizzling out for miles across the uninterrupted landscape.

He bows his head as if thinking and then stills completely.

You do not know what it is that he is doing but it feels strange to watch him so intently. You turn away.

There’s a profound urge to know if the sand here feels dissimilar to that of the waking world. You crouch down and dig your fingers down and across into the dark grains.

Something is different. You cannot pinpoint what. Maybe the grain size. Maybe the weight.

You go to scoop up more but Morpheus is back at your side.

You straighten quickly, brushing your gritty hand against your trousers.

“Where to next?”

----------------------

"I wish that I could fix it for you but instead I'll be right here coming through."

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wisdombooklets · 10 months

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Lot to unpack here. This is a fascinating section of the wisdom booklets because it leaves a lot unsaid, reminding me of how much additional (more explicit) info was likely being conferred by the parent/religious authority who’s teaching from these. It all ultimately adds up to the states-rights-ification of Civil War history, of course, but I’m interested in the way they get that across without saying it—and with biblical justification.

some areas of interest:

1. “This war accomplished far more than the freeing of slaves.”

This is their only mention of what the war was actually about, phrased in such a way that it kind of skirts around having to say “slavery wasn’t really the main focus.” Maybe saying that kind of thing outright was passé by the 80s-90s.

2. The Civil War changed America from a country with state-controlled government to a federally controlled country with its power centrally located in Washington D.C.”

Pointing this one out just because it’s stupid: they seem to have mixed up the Civil War with the Constitutional Convention? Maybe Shays’ Rebellion?/s Either that or they’re suggesting federalism and the Constitution just fully didn’t exist until 1865 lmao

3. “Now there existed ‘equality’ such as the ‘equality’ the French Revolution propagated.”

This is referencing an earlier section that talks about the French Revolution: “French law promotes individual liberties, equality in labor relations, and equal rights. While on the surface these qualities seem good, in effect they totally changed the view of law. They promote a substitution of situational ethics for Biblical principles.”

What’s left unsaid: ‘inequality is righteous if it can be supported by Biblical principles; slavery is supported by Biblical principles; therefore, slavery is righteous.’

4. “The Fourteenth Amendment did more than simply create bad changes, it created a major problem by shifting the philosophy.”

What are the bad changes we’re talking about here? They’ve given themselves plausible deniability (if you can call it that) by saying earlier that 14′s problem was that it “took the power from the states and gave it to the government,” but they’re referring to “changes” plural here.

Also, of course, them not saying specifically how 14 “shift[ed] the philosophy” says enough on its own. I imagine it would be much less attractive for them to say outright something like: ‘Granting citizenship and equal protection under the law to formerly enslaved people replaced God’s authority with man’s authority.’ But that’s the implication.

Now that I’m looking at it, they don’t mention the actual content of the Fourteenth Amendment at all. Good luck with your education if you’re being homeschooled with this, lol.

5. “The fundamental emphasis of America’s founding fathers in interpreting law was that law was God-given with its foundations rooted in the Bible, possessing definite absolutes.”

again, read as: ‘inequality is righteous if it can be Biblically justified’. Also worth examining are those “definite absolutes,” as well as the “denial of absolutes” which the author asserts as a “myth” of “humanistic” law —what are these absolutes? Did Jesus make sure to proclaim the objective correctness of American states’ rights in the Bible? No? Well surely they’re not referring to segregationist readings of the Bible which assert that “black people were inferior to white people, cursed by God and naturally suited to manual labor.” /s

I need to do some more research to figure out when the wisdom booklets were published (specifically the ones I have access to) because that would offer some more insight as to the contemporary implications of their histories. But regardless of that, it’s obvious the author is still pissy about the Civil Rights Movement and that seeps into the writing here.

— Apologies for the long read— I didn’t feel it was responsible to post this section of the booklets without making it clear what is couched in its language and why it’s wrong. Anyways, I’m from the north and don’t recall ever encountering the states’ rights argument in school (aside from refutations, that is) — for any folks from the South, is their rhetorical positioning here fairly common to what you’ve seen?

#iblp #exvangelical #ex christian #apostate #history

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lgbtqiamuslimpedia · 6 months

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LGBTQI+ rights in Gambia 🇬🇲

LGBTQI+ Gambians expriences routinely discrimination, harassment, persecution in the Gambia, not exprienced by non-LGBTQ+ Gambians. There's no visible LGBTQI+ activism, nightlife in Gambia.

Legality of Homosexuality

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal for both males and females in the Gambia. Female same-sex sexual activity is a crime under the new amendment of Article 144 (since 2005). The 2014 Amendment of the Criminal Code of the Gambia introduced the punishment of so-called “Aggravated Homosexuality” with up to life imprisonment. [The amendment inserts Section 3 of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act into Section 144A of the Gambian Criminal Code].

In 2017, largest political party United Democratic Party (UDP) condemned the mass persecution of LGBTQI+ community. They also promised that they will decriminalize homosexuality in the country if their party is elected. But later UDP's leader Ousainu Darboe strongly condemned the idea of decriminalization of homosexuality.

The Amended Criminal Code of Gambia states that,

Article 144 (Unnatural offences):

(1) Any person who—

a) has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature; or

b) has carnal knowledge of an animal; or

c) permits any person to have carnal knowledge of him or her against the order of nature; is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for a term of 14 years.

(2) Carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature includes –

a) carnal knowledge of the person through the anus or mouth of the person;

b) inserting any object or thing into the vulva or anus of the person for the purpose of simulating sex, and

c) committing any other homosexual act with the person.

Article 144A (Aggravated homosexuality):

(1) A person commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality where the –

a) person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of eighteen;

b) offender is a person living with HIV Aids;

c) offender is a parent or guardian of the person against whom the offence is committed;

d) offender is a person in authority over the person against whom the offence is committed;

e) victim of the offence is a person with disability;

f) offender is a serial offender; or

g) offender applies, administers or causes to be administered by any man or woman, any drug, matter or substance with intent to stupefy or overpower him or her, so as to enable any person to have un-lawful carnal connection with any person of the same sex.

(2) A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.

Article 147 (Indecent practices):

(1) Any male person who, whether in public or private, commits any act of gross indecency with another male person, or procures another male person to commit any act of gross indecency with him, or attempts to procure the commission of any such act by any male person with himself or with another male person, whether in public or private, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for five years.

(2) Any female person who, whether in public or private, commits any act of gross indecency with another female person, or procures another female person to commit any act of gross indecency with her, or attempts to procure the commission of any such act by any female person with herself or with another female person, whether in public or private, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for five years.

(3) In this section, ‘act of gross indecency’ includes any homosexual act.

History

The criminalisation of male homosexuality in the Gambia began in colonial era, when it was under British control as the Gambia Colony and Protectorate. The colonial Criminal Code (1933) of Gambia was implemented in 1934; its provisions, proscribing consensual sexual activity between males as "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" have remained in force to the present. Female homosexuality wasn't a criminal offense in colonial Gambia.

Amendments to the code have included changes to criminalise sexual behavior between women as "gross indecency" by the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2005, and 2014 provisions dealing with "aggravated" homosexual offences that attract higher penalties, including life imprisonment, solitary confinement.

Same-sex unions, marriages

Gambia does not officially allow same-sex unions, marriages. Its considered a huge taboo in Gambian society. In past, religious leaders & clerics openly spoke against same-sex partnership & LGBTQ rights. In 2020, conservative religious leader Ebrima Sillah said in his friday sermon that “the gay marriage is happening every day in the country unknowingly [...]” However, there's no relevant evidence of same-sex wedding happened in Gambia.

Discrimination

The Gambia has no laws for protection of residents against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, & HIV status. Homophobic Gambian President Yahya Jammeh fostered a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ residents during his presidency. He said that laws "stricter than those in Iran" against homosexuals would soon be introduced. He publicly vowed to "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in the country. Since then Gambian police & national intelligence agency started targeting LGBTQI+ members of Gambia. Many were tortured during police custody, many fled the country to escape homophobic violence.

On June 2008, two Spanish gay men were arrested by Gambian police and detained at Kotu police station. On 23 December 2008, Frank Boers, a 79-year-old man from the Netherlands, was arrested at Banjul International Airport when officials found him in possession of pornography, including nude pictures of himself and some Gambian men. A Banjul court found Boers guilty of indecency with those men and sentenced him to pay 100,000 Gambian dalasis (£2,500) in lieu of a two-year prison sentence.

Former president Jammeh often gave anti-LGBTQ+ rhetorics in his speech. Notably, on 7 December 2009, Jammeh said, "We will not encourage lesbianism and homosexuality in the military. It is a taboo in our armed forces. I will sack any soldier suspected of being a gay or lesbian in the Gambia. We need no gays in our armed forces." He further advised the army chiefs to monitor the activities of every members and deal with soldier's homosexuality in the military.

According to 2011 US Department of State's Human Rights Report claimed that "there was strong societal discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals, some of whom were shunned, although there were no reported incidents of physical violence against LGBT individuals during the year”.

On 9th April 2012, Gambian police arrested 18 gay men from a bar in the Tourism Development Area. They were charged with "indecent practice among themselves at a public place" According to police testimony in court, the arrests were made because 2 of them were "wearing women's cloth", carrying handbags, and "walking like ladies". Their names & pictures were shared in the local newspaper (without their consent). On 1st August of 2012, the court dropped all charges against them due to lack of evidence. According to the Gambian Daily Observer, two Gambian women and one Nigerian man were arrested on charges of indecent sexual practices in 2012. In 2013, President Jammeh rejected the LGBTI rights recommendations at the UN General Assembly. Further, he called for additional legislation to protect “so called traditional values & religious sensitivities” in Gambia. This led to the Gambian National Assembly unanimously passing the Aggravated Homosexuality Bill in August 2014, which was lifted word for word from the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act. The word “aggravated” appears only in the title of the amendment, but as there is no definition for the terms used, it is unclear what this means. The law also states that those who commit acts of homosexuality as “serial offenders” will be subject to life imprisonment. The discriminatory nature of the new legislation & it's lack of clarity over application sets Gambia apart from other regional countries on LGBTQI+ issues. In 9th October 2014, he signed this new anti-LGBTQ legislation. In December, three men were charged with “engaging in homosexual activity” in violation of the Criminal Code’s “aggravated homosexuality” provision.

According to HRW Africa, the new law sparked a witch-hunt against LGBTQ+ people in Gambia, with at least 14 documented arrests. Some of them were tortured by police. Detainees said they were told that if they did not “confess,” and also provide the names of other so-called offenders, a device would be forced into their anus or vagina to “test” their sexual orientation. Some fled the country for the fear of punishment.

In 2014 ex-president Jammeh’s nephew, Alagie Jammeh's pro-LGBTQ post on Facebook that sparked nationwide controversy, he got death threats from his people. In 2017 he asked for an asylum in the USA because he feared arrest in Gambia.

In 17th May 2020, on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, EU delegation of Gambia uploaded pro-LGBTQ+ post, where they were urging to protect LGBTQ+ people. This sparked anger among religious & political leaders of Gambia. Many homophobic gambians gave anti-LGBTQI+ rhetorics against EU and LGBTQ+ community. In 2020, well-known human rights activist & faith leader Baba Leigh was slammed by conservative religious leaders for his egalitarian stance on homosexuality. He & his organization National Human Rights Commission were accused of promoting homosexuality & immorality in the country.

In July 2023, a Sierra Leonean fashion influencer named Victor Vickish Wilson was publicly harassed for crossdressing in Senegambia. He was dragged out of a vehicle by homophobic youngsters. He was accused of being ''gay''. Soilders of Senegambia harassed him, stripped his cloths. Some people made video of that & posted on social media. Eventually, he was detained in Banjul. The leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party (GAP), Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, opposed homosexuality in the Gambia.

Batchilly made these comments while reacting to a viral video of a man identified as Victor Vickish Wilson, a Sierra Leonean who was dragged out of a car a few days ago around Senegambia by a group of people including women for dressing like a woman.

He said a government led by GAP will accord zero tolerance to homosexuality and enforce maximum punishment to individuals found wanting.

In the video, Victor could be heard saying “I am not gay, I am a crossdresser.” While the attackers continued yelling at him, he tried to explain but the group weren’t interested in what he wanted to say. He added: “Why are you doing this to me?”

Mr. Batchilly also condemned the act while blaming the government led by President Adama Barrow for not enforcing laws that protect the cultural values in the country.

He said the video has triggered the violation of human rights cognizant of the fact that the majority of the Gambians are Muslims.

“All religious doctrines in the world abnegate this inhumane act.; the Gambia should not be an exception. The government has failed to protect the cultural rights and values of our nation since President Barrow ascended power due to selfish reasons,” he claimed.

Commenting further, the GAP leader promised to criminalize same-gender marriage or affairs to ensure that people with religious identities continually worship their beliefs without being dirty or filthy

Recognition of Gender identity

The Gambia does not allow citizens to change their legal gender. Since 2013, the country has criminalized gender expression under the Section 167 of the Criminal Code; cross-dressing is punishable by up to 5 years in jail or a fine of 50,000 Gambian dalasi.

In Wolof speaking communities, non-binary & effeminate males are known as gūrdigan or gordigen (means man-woman). Gūrdigan people are also found in Senegal & Mauritania. Most gūrdigans are born as male, few are intersex. Gūrdigan are very much associated with femininity. Historically they played role of entertainers in various ceremonies, matchmakers between men and women.

LGBTQI+ Association, Activism

There are no public LGBT organizations in the country. Few LGBTQI+ rights groups, networks maintain a low profile in the country due to country's strict laws.

Hope Life International, an international org. based in the Gambia, aims to provide relief and support to those affected by poverty, disease, natural disasters, human rights violence & abuses. Hope Life International is a member org. of ILGA. Besides, HRW, Peace Corp, ACDHRS, Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Gambian Human Rights Commission, West African Human Rights Defenders Network also defends rights of LGBTQI+ Gambians.

Yankuba Keita, a human rights activist based in Gambia, advocates for LGBTQ+ community. He also works with the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), which promotes awareness on human rights issues. Alajie Jammeh become beacon for LGBTQ+ community, when he spoke against Yahya's treatment of LGBTQ+ citizens. He also advocated for equal rights of LGBTQ+ community. For his LGBTQ+ activism, Alajie risked his life, got death threats. He was shunned by his family, relatives & friends. Even Gambian government officials threatened him to revoke his scholarship, if he returned home.

Mohammad Sonko is a Canada-based LGBTQ+ activist who advocates for rights of LGBTQ+ people. Sonko is reportedly the first gambian who came out as gay in Brikama, Gambia. He was persecuted for being gay in his home country, later he took refuge in Canada.

Summary:

Same-sex sexual activity - ❌

Equal age of consent - ❌

Recognition of same-sex unions,marriages - ❌

Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services - ❌

Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech) - ❌

Anti-discrimination laws in employment only - ❌

Right to change legal gender - ❌

LGBTQ+ people allowed to serve openly in the military - ❌

MSMs allowed to donate blood - ❌

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