'F*cking Ridiculous': Why a Gay Kentucky Middle Schooler’s Graduation Speech Went Viral

Spencer Macnaughton | Uncloseted Media Weekly Newsletter

“This school is built on racism, sexism, and homophobia. I encourage everyone here today to stand up for yourself, even if it makes [a] scene. This school is fucking ridiculous,” eighth-grader Daniel Mattingly said in his graduation speech on May 21 at Stuart Academy in Louisville, Kentucky.

Hundreds of Mattingly’s classmates roared with applause, and a video of his remarks has gone viral.

Mattingly said school administrators tried to suppress his original speech for being “too negative.” But he didn’t listen and instead went off script:

“My name is Daniel Mattingly, and apparently, this school doesn’t know better than to give an angry gay kid a microphone.”

Mattingly’s concerns about his school may be related to some of Kentucky’s state policies toward LGBTQ people. Kentucky is the 37th-ranked state when it comes to government policies and local attitudes toward LGBTQ people, according to a 2026 report by Out Leadership.

Here are just some stats that explain the plight of queer kids in Kentucky today:

• 27% of LGBTQ kids were physically threatened or harmed based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in 2024.

• 62% of LGBTQ kids experienced discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation in 2024.

• 56% of LGBTQ kids say they or their family have considered leaving Kentucky for another state because of LGBTQ-related politics and laws.

• Classroom instruction for “any child, regardless of grade level,” that has “a goal or purpose of students studying or exploring gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation,” is prohibited.

• Kentucky does not have a statewide ban on conversion therapy for minors, and lawmakers overturned Governor Andy Beshear’s 2024 executive order restricting the practice.

• School districts are not allowed to compel teachers to address trans students by their pronouns and don’t allow transgender students to use school bathrooms or changing rooms that match their gender identity.

• To change your gender on your birth certificate, proof of gender reassignment surgery is required.

All of these policies contribute to a reality where only 52% of LGBTQ Kentuckians feel safe being openly queer, and only 44% of them feel they are represented in education.

This translates to poor mental health outcomes: 66% of LGBTQ youth in the state experience anxiety; 56% experience depression; 43% seriously considered suicide; and 14% have attempted it.

Young people today are the loudest voices pushing back against LGBTQ oppression and are the most openly queer generation of all time. More than 1 in 5 Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ.

As an eighth grader, Mattingly—who said his speech was meant to “cheer on and encourage oppressed youth”—sits on the cusp of Gen Alpha. And if anything can give all Americans hope right now, it’s that voices like his represent the next generation of American adults.

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Focus on the Family’s Complete Track Record of Anti-LGBTQ Hate

Peppermint Made Her Mark on Drag Race. Now, Her Advocacy Is Front and Center [WATCH]

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• Our very own Hope Pisoni was on the Freedom from Religion Podcast to discuss her investigation into how license plates are funding anti-LGBTQ hate groups:

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• Bentley Hudgins is poised to become Georgia’s first trans state lawmaker (Them)

  • After winning the Democratic primary for Georgia House District 90, Hudgins is favored in the general election and could become Georgia’s first openly transgender and nonbinary state lawmaker.

• Maine’s anti-trans sports and bathroom ballot initiative halted over invalid signatures (AP)

  • A proposed November ballot measure targeting transgender students’ access to school sports and bathrooms failed to qualify after more than 12,000 petition signatures were disqualified.

• UK guidance says single-sex toilets and changing rooms must exclude transgender people (The Guardian)

  • The UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission issued draft guidance saying single-sex spaces should be based on “biological sex,” prompting backlash from trans advocates and service providers.

• South Carolina governor signs bathroom law restricting trans students in schools (Them)

  • The new law requires public K-12 schools and colleges to assign multi-stall bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities based on sex assigned at birth.

• Families weigh moving as gender-affirming care access comes under assault in the U.S. (Reuters)

  • Families of transgender youth are considering relocating to states or countries with stronger protections as legal threats and restrictions continue to disrupt access to care.

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Over the next week, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting:

• 🆕 SATURDAY: Alberta is arguably Canada’s most conservative province, and a right-wing movement has been pushing for it to become its own independent country. Emma Paidra looks at the implications sovereignty could have on LGBTQ Albertans.

• 🆕 TUESDAY: Trump's 500th day in office is next week. On June 2nd, look out for an in-depth timeline outlining every move the administration has made on LGBTQ issues from day 366 to 500.

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Thanks for reading! Feel free to email me with questions, complaints and story ideas!

Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chief — spencer@unclosetedmedia.com

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