Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill

by Brooke Huppert, Uday Lingampalli, Taruni Manam, & Mia Grace, Art by Mia Kim, Layout by Helen Bian

The Florida Senate Education Committee recently passed the 1834 Parental Rights in Education Bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The bill aims to ensure schools aren’t encouraging conversations on gender or sexual identity in classrooms. It would also require all personnel, such as counselors and teachers to disclose private information to parents regarding their children, which would completely demolish all confidentiality.

The bill uses interesting wording to avoid being outright homophobic by stating that discussions that are not “age-appropriate” are banned. This might not seem like a destructive idea to some, as children may be too young to have a grasp on how they identify within the complex spectrum of sexuality and gender. Yet the problem arises with the (perhaps intentionally) loose wording of “age-appropriate”. This phrase has no concrete definition in the context that it is being used. A school may decide that high-schoolers are not allowed to have conversations about certain identities in the classroom because they are not age-appropriate, even though said students may legally be adults. To further their agenda, Florida lawmakers may be metaphorically casting their nets over a large area by using vague language so that they can persecute whoever they choose.

Many individuals who live in the “Sunshine State” have voiced their concerns. A local Florida teen, Lana Goff, spoke at a rally against the bill. They described the bill as “‘just another way for them [Florida government] to silence us, and we have been silent for so long’” (Putney & Torres, 2022). Another Florida high-school student spoke to CBS News, saying, “‘The bill is sending a message to LGBTQ youth that they have something to be ashamed about, that their identities are so taboo that they shouldn't even be talked about in classrooms… In a world that already shames LGBTQ people enough, children who are learning and developing who they are don't need any more of that stigma.’”

Students are not the only ones making their voices heard on the issue. The White House recently released a statement on the bill, describing it as “hateful”. Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, has been vocal about his support for the bill, arguing that conversations around identity should only happen between a parent and child. Yet only 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ youth report that their home was LGBTQ+ affirming, demonstrating that many people cannot have these conversations with their parents (Trevor Project, 2021).

42% of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and non-binary youth (Trevor Project). Statistics like these prove that it is an incredibly reckless and dangerous idea to ban perhaps the only outlet that young people have to live authentically. The true effects of the bill will reinforce heteronormativity, ostracizing queer youth from a space that should be safe for them and further shaming students for their true identities. If you would like to make your voice heard, you can do so by emailing your lawmakers on the issue of bill 1834. Equality Florida has provided an email-sending resource that can be found here. As lawmakers push new bills that spark outrage in marginalized communities, it is important for young people to make their voices heard on issues that matter.

Update - As of February 25, 2022 the bill has passed the Florida Senate and will soon be going into effect.

by Mia Kim