When Reagan Said Gay
On March 8, the Florida Senate passed the innocuously named Parental Rights in Education Act, which Gov. Ron DeSantis is now expected to sign into law.
Dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics, the legislation mandates that “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” By permitting parents to sue school districts that fail to enforce its vague provisions, the act effectively bars classroom discussion and individual expression on a wide range of subjects not necessarily limited to homosexuality and gender identity.
Gay students and the children of same-sex couples, for instance, would likely be inhibited from talking about their lives, and teachers could face the wrath of angry parents simply for discussing historical events involving gay people, such as the deadly 2016 attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando.
The law’s proponents insist that the measure has nothing to do with harming the dignity of gay individuals but rather is aimed at ensuring age-appropriate sexual education.
