State and federal lawmakers have responded to the wave of school anti-gay bullying and the suicides that they contribute to by introducing legislation prohibiting schools from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Conservative Republicans oppose such efforts and have characterized anti-bullying legislation as an infringement of religious freedoms and free speech.

During an April 12th debate, Heather Wilson, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in New Mexico, joined the so-called pro-bullying chorus when she staked out her opposition to SB 555, the Student Non-Discrimination Act. The measure, introduced by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), would provide LGBT students with similar civil rights protections against bullying “as those that currently apply to students based on race and gender.” Wilson argued that the bill would violate students’ free speech rights and criminalize “teasing”:

WILSON: I mean if somebody gets bullied for having, gosh a low voice — that’s never happened to me. … But I think one of the things why I don’t support the act is because I think it’s misplaced. They are things I’m willing to tolerate that I’m not willing to approve.

With respect to this particular agenda we have to recognize as parents that children tease each other because you’re short or you’re tall or you’re a redhead or because you’re ugly or because you’re smart or because you’re dumb or all kinds of differences and as parents we have to deal with that and strengthen our children to be comfortable with themselves and also to show empathy and acceptance towards others, but that particular act is so broad it would actually punish children and say that it’s prohibited to express an opinion with respect to homosexuality in the schools. I just think that’s wrong and it’s a violation of the First Amendment.

Watch it:

Franken’s measure — which is modeled on existing civil rights laws — would establish a new law explicitly protecting children from harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill doesn’t criminalize speech; it targets harassment of LGBT students, requires schools to institute a policy of nondiscrimination and take immediate action to investigate and address it. Section 9(b) of the bill specifically addresses Wilson’s concern: “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter legal standards regarding, or affect the rights available to individuals or groups under, other Federal laws that establish protections for freedom of speech and expression, such as legal standards and rights available to religious and other student groups under the First Amendment and the Equal Access Act .”

The bill, which was introduced in March of last year, has 37 co-sponsors in the Senate and a companion legislation introduced in the House has 157 supporters.

An openly-gay hair stylist in New Mexico is protesting Gov. Susana Martinez’s (R) opposition to same-sex marriage by refusing to style her hair unless she changes her position on the issue. KOB Eyewitness News 4 reports that Antonio Darden, “a popular stylist who runs Antonio’s Hair Studio in Santa Fe, said he cut Martinez’ hair three times” but is now refusing to see his famous client:

“The governor’s aides called not too long ago, wanting another appointment to come in,” Darden said. “Because of her stances and her views on this I told her aides no. They called the next day, asking if I’d changed my mind about taking the governor in and I said no again.”

The governor has said she believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that does not cut it with Darden.

“I think it’s just equality, dignity for everyone,” the popular hair stylist said. “I think everybody should be allowed the right to be together. My partner and I have been together for 15 years.”

Watch a local news news segment on the story:

During her gubernatorial campaign Martinez answered “no” when asked whether she’d sign a domestic-partnership bill, adding “I don’t think it is necessary. It is not a law I would sign.” She was recently praised by LGBT equality advocates, however, for appointing Doug Howe, a gay man, to the Public Regulation Commission over the opposition of some social conservatives in the state.

LGBT equality activists in New Mexico protested a local pastor on Sunday for opposing Gov. Susana Martinez’s (R) appointment of Doug Howe, a gay man, to the Public Regulation Commission. Pastor Steve Smothermon of One Legacy Church told NMPolitics.net, a local political blog, last month that Martinez “looked me in the eye personally and said she’s socially conservative… she wouldn’t espouse the homosexual agenda.” He said Howe’s appointment “goes against that”:

“These aren’t the people we voted for you to appoint. We voted for you to appoint people who think like we do,” he said, adding that he is “not against the human being, but the lifestyle and the political power that the homosexual agenda has today, as a lobbying agenda, that’s what I begin to come against.” [...]

On Sunday, Smothermon, speaking to his 20,000-member congregation, drew applause for saying he wouldn’t apologize for insisting on “our right to hold a biblical world view,” the newspaper reported.

“Just like the mayor, if you campaign as a conservative, and you say you will govern as a conservative, I have an expectation when you say to me that you will do what you said, and hire and appoint people that are conservatives,” the Journal quoted Smothermon as saying. “I’m just a pastor of a church in this state that believes that people ought to keep their word,” he said.

Watch a local news report on the protest:

Martinez’ office is defending Howe, arguing that he “was the most-qualified applicant for the vacancy.” Meanwhile, at Sunday’s rally, One Legacy Church member, Michael Angel Gutierrez, told the protesters he had been gay for 25 years, but “because of the truth that God has revealed to me, I’m no longer a homosexual man.”