Social Media Swarm
This is a coordinated effort where allies and campaigners comment on a prominent person or organization’s social media posts all at once. We try to aim for posts that have some tangential connection, so the comments can pivot to the point we’re making.
The target groups will likely turn off comments at some point, so it’s important to get to as many as you can before that happens. We are asking folks to start commenting at 6pm PST tonight, May 20.
Feel free to improvise as you see fit, but we ask that people are sensitive to what posts they comment on. If there are difficult topics, be respectful but firm.
Below are suggested social media posts, but you can always find more!
Suggested Posts and Comments
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYX72B7EgSf/
Possible comment: “While you say you value representation, the California Department of Education is actually shutting down access and representation for transgender students by allowing the California Interscholastic Federation to break ed code and harass AB Hernandez! Come on, Superintendent Thurmond, let's make sure students of all identities are free from bullying and discrimination. Stop telling the world that California condones hatred!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYSp1FpAcFS/
Possible comment: “Let’s celebrate Mental Health month by urging CDE to shut down the CIF pilot policy that bullies and harasses a single transgender athlete. Can you imagine the impact on her mental health and the mental health of other transgender students to have the state education system condone bigotry so publicly? Shut down the discriminatory pilot policy now, and leave AB Hernandez alone!!”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXrhwsliJM7/
Possible Comment: “You sound pretty tough in this ad! Maybe you should consider standing up to the California Interscholastic Federation as they bully a single transgender student who just wants to compete and have fun. You have the power to shut down their pilot policy, which declares to the world that transgender girls aren’t really girls. Is that what you want California to endorse? Shut down the pilot policy NOW.”
Possible comment: “It’s probably a good idea to have a new lawyer, as I’m guessing AB Hernandez’s mom is pretty pissed her daughter is being singled out by the California Interscholastic Federation as not a “real” girl, because she’s transgender. Pretty sure it’s not legal to make rules under ed code that target a single child in a protected class.”
Possible comment: “It’s unfortunate that the “real world experience” students like AB Hernandez get is learning that their own state’s department of education won’t stand up and defend her when CIF makes a policy directed at outing and othering her to the world, just because she’s transgender. She’s learning she’s not protected by ed code like everyone else is, and that’s tragic. There’s still time, stop CIF’s discriminatory pilot policy NOW.”
Possible comment: “If only you and the Governor were just as proactive protecting actual students in your education system, especially transgender girls like AB Hernandez who are just trying to end their high school career on a high note, competing and having fun. You have the power to stop CIF’s pilot policy, which targets and harasses a single girl, and tells the world California doesn’t think she’s a “real” girl. Stop CIF’s discriminatory pilot policy NOW.”
If you’re inspired to do more!
CDE/Thurmond
https://www.instagram.com/cadepted/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cadepted/