A petition against LGBTQ issues in schools recently collected the 4,500 votes needed for a Chamber discussion within a few days. After clear opposition, a counter-petition calling for greater involvement in school education achieved the same goal within a few hours on Friday. According to Marc Gerges, responsible for petition number 3281, the role of schools is also to enable children to “become responsible citizens who are able to form their own opinions, especially on issues of a personal and ethical nature, including sensitive and personal issues such as sexual orientation and gender identity.”
In his petition, the author argues that education on these topics should begin at an early age and should be based on the age and maturity of the students. It is about combating homophobia and transphobia as well as any other form of discrimination or racism by teaching all underage children the values of respect and acceptance of others from an early age. “4311, 4330, 4389 … I am overwhelmed with emotion,” said Marc Gerges on Friday afternoon in an interview with The essentialwhile on the phone counting the number of signatures as they approached the 4,500 mark.
“I wrote it in fifteen minutes, I was so angry about the first petition. For me, the attempt to exclude these topics is an attack on fundamental rights,” says Gerges. “Our society is made up of different people, we have to learn to accept that. I don’t understand how anyone can feel threatened by their neighbor being gay.” He is further annoyed: “Those who always say that you can’t say what you think are the first to try to twist other people’s words.” It may be possible to discuss the two petitions together. “I would like that,” comments Marc Gerges. “That would enable a real debate in which things are addressed clearly and precisely.”
