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A national anti-LGBTQ organization is having a meltdown after a few homophobic parents in Williamson County, Tennessee accused two girls who briefly kissed on a homecoming parade float of inappropriate behavior.
The group Moms for Liberty claimed the two students on the float in Independence High School's parade were "groping," "making out" and "French kissing," despite the fact that the very video they used as evidence shows nothing of the sort.
The clip shows two girls giving each other a peck so brief you will likely miss it entirely if you aren't watching very closely.
See the kiss in question at the 0:04 mark below.
@Moms4Liberty \n@Moms4LibertyDC \n@WCSedu \nWell, this happened: Independence HS\u2019s Homecoming parade had an LGBTQ float, featuring two girls kissing & groping in front of Thompson Station Elementary and Middle School. VIEWED BY ALL AGES DOWN TO KINDERGARTENERS. 1/xpic.twitter.com/vGHlB1viy0— Moms For Liberty Williamson County TN (@Moms For Liberty Williamson County TN) 1632019632
Along with the clip of the blink-and-you-miss-it peck, Moms for Liberty tweeted:
"Well, this happened: Independence HS's Homecoming parade had an LGBTQ float, featuring two girls kissing & groping in front of Thompson Station Elementary and Middle School. VIEWED BY ALL AGES DOWN TO KINDERGARTENERS."
These moms have a very, very interesting definition of "kissing and groping" and of "liberty," for that matter.
The group, which has previously made a name for itself protesting mask mandates in schools, also accused the students of "encouraging bisexuality" and engaging in "sexually lewd behavior" because the school LGBTQ group that presented the float, Indy Pride, passed out information about Bisexual Awareness Week.
Speaking to Nashville's Newschannel 5, parents in a local chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG, decried Moms for Liberty's social media campaign, saying it endangered the children in the video and opened them to homophobic attacks because it showed their full faces, making them easily identifiable.
Nevertheless, Moms for Liberty were able to stir up quite a bit of anger in conservative parents in the area when they attended a Williamson County School Board meeting shortly after the parade.
Some parents at the meeting called the parade float and the school's Pride Club "inappropriate" and accused the children in the group of engaging in "propaganda" and "indoctrination."
But local parent Justin Kanew wasn't having it, calling out these parents for lying about the content of the video in order to level such drastic accusations at children.
"Does calling for your people to come here and persecute LGBTQ kids for the crime of letting the world know they exist and showing love for one another not fly in the face of what you claim to stand for?"
"That video is not a French kiss. It is a quick peck that I had to watch three times to catch and if it was a boy and a girl there is zero chance anyone would have cared."
On Twitter, people were similarly outraged by Moms for Liberty's antics.
LIBERTY; you may want to check YOUR definition of the word, this post is nothing but about moms THREATENING the liberty of https://children.You\u00a0 should reconsider your org\u2019s name to classify exactly who\u2019s liberty it stands for, because it\u2019s not as inclusive as it implies.Agenda— Emily Fohl Paisley (@Emily Fohl Paisley) 1632117318
Where is the groping? You promised groping! Was this before or after these kids were pelted with basketballs by other WCS students? Do you have video from the other floats, where boys went bare chested at a school-sponsored event?!— NashvilleGirl (@NashvilleGirl) 1632061875
So much manufactured scandal! Not sure the indoctrination is complete when a parade float allegedly passed a kindergartener at 20 mph. They\u2019ll be fine— Kat Bo Mo (@Kat Bo Mo) 1632053530
Where\u2019s the lewd behavior in this video?— Lauren (@Lauren) 1632061667
I pray non of these youth ever have to encounter anyone from the @Moms4LibertyWC literally you are the problem. There was nothing inappropriate here. Let\u2019s talk about what your real issue is. #LoveWins— Kimberly (@Kimberly) 1632289035
These are minors, and you have no right to video them without their consent and post it on social media. By doing so, you have put a target on their backs and endangered them. I\u2019m more concerned with how WCS is going to handle you doxxing minors than I ever will be about a float.— Lane Faulkner Dixon (@Lane Faulkner Dixon) 1632089422
As a parent Id be furious if you took a video of my child and not only posted it but used it in your Twitter tantrum. You have no right to post other peoples minor children. It puts their safety at risk. Youre selfish & irresponsible. Leave the kids alone you cowards.— Blue Hamilton (@Blue Hamilton) 1632154717
Others ignored the drama and threw their support behind the kids on the float and other LGBTQ kids like them.
I\u2019m so proud of these kids! They have a place where they can truly be themselves. Wish I would\u2019ve had this freedom when I was growing up. support!— Leisa Wamsley (@Leisa Wamsley) 1632072037
They did such a great job on their float! So proud of you, kiddos!— Amanda Garcia (@Amanda Garcia) 1632063347
I am so excited to see our LGBQT youth finding their voices in the community! I wonder how many of those younger kids got a little hope today; they saw other people like them. Love it.— Sandra L Glewwe (@Sandra L Glewwe) 1632063611
Tennessee has become a hotbed of virulenty anti-LGBTQ laws aimed directly at children, including a ban on transgender girls from participating in sports and another which allows students to sue transgender students for using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.