{"id":12064,"date":"2011-05-20T19:25:46","date_gmt":"2011-05-21T02:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.trektoday.com\/content\/?p=12064"},"modified":"2011-05-20T19:25:46","modified_gmt":"2011-05-21T02:25:46","slug":"its-ok-to-be-takei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trektoday.com\/content\/2011\/05\/its-ok-to-be-takei\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s OK To Be Takei"},"content":{"rendered":"

George Takei<\/strong> is speaking out against a Tennessee bill that would prohibit teachers from discussing homosexuality with young students.<\/p>\n

SB49, sponsored by Senator Stacey Campbell<\/strong>, would forbid discussion of homosexuality in school to students below the ninth grade. The so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill has made it out of a Tennessee committee and will advance to the full Senate.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Those objecting to the bill are speaking up and amongst the opponents of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill is Star Trek<\/em>‘s George Takei. “The so-called ‘don’t say gay’ law is premised on the misguided belief that, by not talking about gay people, they can simply make us disappear,” said Takei.<\/p>\n

Takei has spoken out in a YouTube video where he suggests that “anytime you need to say the word gay, you could simply say Takei. For example, you could simply proclaim that you’re a supporter of Takei marriage.”<\/p>\n

On a new website, located here<\/a>, those wishing to help Takei get the word out and to show their support for his campaign against the bill, can purchase merchandise with “It’s OK to be Takei!” slogan on them. The merchandise includes buttons, mugs, hats, a mousepad and shirts. All proceeds from the sales of the “It’s OK to be Takei!” merchandise will be donated to charity, according to Takei.<\/p>\n