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Becca Monaghan
Feb 25, 2022
Critics of 'Don't Say Gay' bill worry it is too broad
Fox
Florida passed a controversial piece of legislation that bans children discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms – and people are furious.
Dubbed the 'Don't Say Gay' bill by parents and activists, the ban will specifically impact sex education in primary schools and when a student is "not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate."
Critics have slammed the bill passed on Thursday, as they believe it will only create further issues by isolating and stigmatising LGBT+ youth.
Nadine Smith, a queer mother and executive director of the Equality Florida non-profit, said: "Every child has a right to speak honestly about their lives, a right to have access to a history that is honest and includes them, and a right to library books that reflect and include who they are,"
Smith added: "What we are seeing is the systematic erasure or elimination of those resources for young people and a gag order imposed on educators."
While the White House has called out the bill as "designed to attack" LGBT people, it still had the support to pass the state's Republican-controlled legislature.
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In favour of the newly implemented legislation, Republican Governor DeSantis said schools should teach lessons and avoid "entirely inappropriate" topics.
Many other appalled Twitter users have scheduled school walkouts and protests to fight back.
Today, the Florida House passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Students are angry, frustrated and ready to fight this sickening piece of legislation. I'm organizing a statewide school walkout on March 3rd at 12:00 PM in opposition. I encourage student leaders to join me. #DSGWalkoutpic.twitter.com/itcCmLVj6o— Jack Petocz (@Jack Petocz) 1645740654
Florida House Republicans just advanced the horrific \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay\u201d bill, which flat-out forbids classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity.\n\nThey've stopped even pretending to be the party of free speech.— Robert Reich (@Robert Reich) 1645744222
The "Don't Say Gay" bill passed the Florida House by a vote of 69-47. \n\nI am heartbroken, but I won\u2019t be silent.— Jack Cocchiarella (@Jack Cocchiarella) 1645741498
Republican legislators voted to pass the 'Don't Say Gay' bill and 'Stop WOKE' Act in the Florida House.\n\nThe names of these bills alone let you know how fucking stupid this party has become.— B\ud83c\udfb1$ Lady (@B\ud83c\udfb1$ Lady) 1645795388
With the Florida House passing the "Don't Say Gay" bill, queer youth are now even more at risk. Here's a few helpful organizations that you can support in order to push back -— Ethan M. Aldridge (@Ethan M. Aldridge) 1645749285
BREAKING: the \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay\u201d bill passed the Florida house. \n\nRetweet if you find this absolutely disgusting.— Kim Mangone (@Kim Mangone) 1645731003
A horrific aspect of the new Don't Say Gay bill amendment is that it creates s massive incentive for students to extort and blackmail queer students. They couldn't tell a teacher because the school staff will still be forced to out the kids. How much abuse will this bill enable?— Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7 (@Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7) 1645493996
The Florida Don't Say Gay Bill passing the state house truly breaks my heart. I know tons of LGBT youth from the local LGBT centers and my HRT clinic. And knowing they will have to live under this legislation is fucking evil— Victoria \ud83c\udf80 (@Victoria \ud83c\udf80) 1645741372
Between Florida introducing the Don't Say Gay Bill, Texas' anti-transgender bill, and the Ukraine being invaded... this week has been incredibly rough. \n\nI encourage all of you not familiar w/ these topics to please educate yourself and find ways to make a positive difference.— Dr. Wildlife \ud83d\udc0d GoH @ Furnal Equinox (@Dr. Wildlife \ud83d\udc0d GoH @ Furnal Equinox) 1645723167
Would be really nice for the Walt Disney Company, which employs approximately one trillion LGBTQ+ individuals in Florida and around the world, to speak out against this outrageous \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay\u201d bill.— Jordan Edwards (@Jordan Edwards) 1645551141
Me and friends waiting for @Disney to speak out against Florida\u2019s \u2018Don\u2019t Say Gay\u2019 bill.pic.twitter.com/etk7FTzl95— Tony Rodr\u00edguez (@Tony Rodr\u00edguez) 1645743723
If you support any part of Don't Say Gay bill go fuck yourself— Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy Enjoyer \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udde6 (@Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy Enjoyer \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udde6) 1645763399
The Florida bill follows last year's abortion bill in Texas, which permitted people to sue anyone involved with a termination. Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill also allows parents to sue school districts and seek damages if they believe an educator has broken the law.
The legislation states that parents: “may bring an action against a school district to obtain a declaratory judgement that a school district procedure or practice violates this paragraph and seek injunctive relief. A court may award damages and shall award reasonable attorney fees and court costs to a parent who receives declaratory or injunctive relief”.
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