Openly Bisexual MI State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky Takes to Twitter For ‘Serious Talk’ on Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

Openly bisexual Michigan State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D – Livonia) spoke out against Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill in a series of tweets on Friday. 

“Let’s have a serious talk about the Don’t Say Gay legislation,” Pohutsky said in the first of eight tweets. “I knew I wasn’t straight way before I realized what that meant.”

I’ve been making jokes today because that’s my defense mechanism, but let’s have a serious talk about the Don’t Say Gay legislation. Jokes aside, I knew I wasn’t straight way before I realized what that meant. I also went to a Catholic school. We definitely didn’t “say gay.” 1/8

— Laurie Pohutsky (@lpohutsky19) March 11, 2022

Pohutsky said the hateful legislation is not about protecting anyone.

“It’s the opposite. It is meant to bully and isolate children and once again subject the LGBTQ+ community to the otherism we had worked to overcome, starting with the youngest among us.” 

This legislation isn’t about protecting anyone; it’s the opposite. It is meant to bully and isolate children and once again subject the LGBTQ+ community to the otherism we had worked to overcome, starting with the youngest among us. 7/8

— Laurie Pohutsky (@lpohutsky19) March 11, 2022

In her tweets, Pohutsky talked about growing up and hearing about the murders of Matthew Shepard and Michigan’s own Scott Amedure. Attending Catholic schools, Pohutsky said the absence of any mention of gay people in her school spoke volumes in itself.

“Not talking about the existence of the LGBTQ+ community didn’t make me any less queer, but it did give me no other option than to accept what society was telling me: that the lives of LGBTQ+ people were worth less than straight people and they deserved what happened to them.”

Not talking about the existence of the LGBTQ+ community didn’t make me any less queer, but it did give me no other option than to accept what society was telling me: that the lives of LGBTQ+ people were worth less than straight people and they deserved what happened to them. 5/8

— Laurie Pohutsky (@lpohutsky19) March 11, 2022

A former microbiologist, Pohutsky spoke to Between The Lines in 2020 about why she first ran for the State House in 2018. 

“I noticed a lack of representation in our state legislature,” she said. “As a scientist, a millennial and a bisexual woman in a red district, I knew I was not being represented. Additionally, there were many laws based in science coming out of the House, but no one there with the background to advocate for science and evidence-based policy.”

Response to Pohutsky’s tweets have been mostly positive. But when it comes to Twitter comments, there’s always a smartass in the bunch.

“Would you consider yourself a lipstick lesbian,” Twitter user @PhxMason asked in response to the tweets. Pohutsky responded simply, “I would consider myself deeply uninterested in anyone who would ask this question.”

Would you consider yourself a lipstick lesbian?

— mason.phx (@PhxMason) March 11, 2022

In 2020, Pohutsky told PrideSource, “I know that the act of being an openly bisexual member of the legislature matters in terms of visibility. When I was just beginning my first run in 2017, I remembered talking with my team about how my sexuality might be used against me. Sure enough, homophobic ads featuring photos of me at Pride declaring that I did not understand my district’s values came shortly before the general election.”

“Although my district wasn’t swayed,” she continued, “I can’t help but think that if I had more LGBTQ elected officials to look to, that prospect wouldn’t have seemed so intimidating.