Most of us would keep our eyes peeled on the so-called Don’t Say Gay bill as it is set before the Senate of Florida for a full floor vote. The legislation- which is has been called the Parental Rights in Education Bill, would prohibit all primary school teachers from speaking about any form of gender identity and sexual orientation in a way that seems age-inappropriate or developmentally inappropriate for students.
If the bill gets approved by the Republican-controlled Senate of Florida, it will then be sent over to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, where it would be put into law and take effect this summer.
Don’t Say Gay Bill Could Be A Major Setback for the LGBTQ+ Community
The Don’t Say Gay bill’s easy passage through the legislature of the state has definitely, and naturally, led to mass national outrage, with LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, white students, Hollywood actors, and even the Oval Office condemning it as dangerous and hateful. Most individuals have been worrying about the detrimental impact this bill would have on the youth of the state, who are already facing far greater rates of depression, self-harm, anxiety, and suicide.
The Don’t Say Gay bill currently only restricts classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, which can be compared to an earlier version that would prohibit school districts from going about and encouraging far deeper discussions among students who would be studying in schools. While the new language of the bill wouldn’t prevent students from discussing things freely between themselves, what is now restricted is the ability of the teachers to chime in.
According to the text of the Don’t Say Gay bill, the personnel in a school district are required to ask students to discuss matters about sexual orientation or gender identity at home- even if the topics come up in the classroom.
