MOBILE, Ala. — Senator Chris Elliott of Baldwin County is aiming to reduce funding by millions of dollars for the state Department of History and Archives. This decision comes after the department organized a presentation on LGBTQ history last month. According to Senator Elliott, conversations regarding individuals’ private lives have no relevance within the state house. The senator is actively working to pass the funding cut during the upcoming special session on July 17th, asserting that there should be a clear distinction between sexual orientation and state matters.
“It’s certainly a fatigue among legislators about the woke ideology that we are seeing in this state and certainly around this country,” says Senator Chris Elliot.
It all started about a month ago with an hour-long presentation on LGBTQ history from the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
“The conversations that my colleagues and I had were… Why? Why are they doing this and should the Alabama Department of Archives and History or the state of Alabama at all be showcasing or focusing on something that at the end of the day inherently has something to do with what people do in their bedrooms,” says Elliot.
Corey Harvard is the Executive Director of Prism United, a local LGBTQ youth support organization. He claims that being a part of the community is about much more than “what happens in the bedroom.”
“It’s insulting and dishonest when people try to reduce it down to what happens in the bedroom or down to a political agenda,” says Harvard.
According to State Senator Chris Elliot, such debates should not take place in the legislature.
“No, they probably shouldn’t be doing that. Whether its LGBTQ plus stuff or whether it’s heterosexual stuff, how about let’s not talk about history focus on archive and documents which they do and talk about history and the important contributions made by individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or how they identify,” says Elliot.
The senator intends to present a new measure during the July 17th special session. He claims that this bill would recoup $5 million in additional appropriations made to the Alabama Department of Archives and History during the previous session.
“This is not operating money; they are still receiving about $7.5 – $8 million dollars in operating funds a year. This was a supplemental appropriation. Think extra money that was going to them,” says Elliot.
He says that he and other employees advised the department not to do it before the presentation, but it nevertheless happened. Senator Elliott claims the goal is to send a message.
“To the Alabama Department of Archives and History and frankly to the other bureaucracy that you need to listen to the legislature. They hold the purse strings and they’re willing to use them and the legislature is very much listening to our constituents who have had quite enough of state promoted conversations about what people do in their bedrooms,” says Senator Elliot.
Harvard disagrees.
“This strategy to sexualize gay people to make them seem inappropriate and unsafe is unfortunately decades old, but I believe people are seeing through these extremist anti LGBTQ tactics and that our state and our country is ready to embrace a world that is better for all people,” says Harvard.
Senator Elliot anticipates that the bill will be enacted and signed by Governor Ivey.
