Versions of Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill are appearing in 15 other US states
On March 8, 2022, Florida Senate passed the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, by a vote of 22-17. The bill raises multiple concerns for LGBTQ+ people and allies alike, and it appears that similar legislation is being proposed in 15 other US states.Under the ‘Don’t Say Gay’, or as it’s officially known, the Parental Rights in Education bill, “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity” is prohibited.
Activists fear that as a result of this law, parents will be able to sue school officials and teachers should they facilitate discussions on queer identities and issues.Despite receiving a lot of negative attention, including causing staff protests at Disney and ESPN, and having celebrities such as Oscar Isaac and Raven-Symoné denounce the bill, Florida has encouraged various other states to pursue similar, and in some cases worse, legislative changes.A post shared by Raven-Symoné (@ravensymone)Perhaps the most concerning bill is being proposed in Tennesse, where teachings to children in kindergarten all the way up to grade 12 would be affected.
Not only does the proposal say that schools “shall not locally adopt or use in the public schools of this state, textbooks and instructional materials or supplemental instructional materials that promote, normalize, support or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender (LGBT) issues or lifestyles,” but it also brands queer youth as “abnormal”.In Kansas, officials are hoping to make materials that promote “homosexuality” a misdemeanor under the state’s obscenity laws.
