By Sophie Oswald

A few months ago, a Florida committee worked hard to push a bill forward that is detrimentally harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. This bill, most commonly referred to as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, is a step in the wrong direction. 

What is the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill?

The bill restricts what can be said and taught in schools. Teachers won’t be allowed to talk about gay people throughout history or in any other context. The bill bans these discussions for third graders and below, but this will likely spread to higher grade levels down the line.

LGBTQ+ individuals, activists and allies loudly stood up against this bill and continue to do so. Ariana Grande called it disgusting on her Instagram story. Kate McKinnon made a statement about it on Saturday Night Live that now has well over two million views. Billy Eichner, Shawn Mendes, Ariana DeBose, Kerry Washington, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sean Astin, Joe Biden and others took a stand on Twitter.

Now similar bills are coming to life in other states. Almost 240 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed this year. It seems with every passing year a new record is set in the fight against the LGBTQ+ community. Many of these bills don’t make it far, but somehow the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill did.

The bill doesn’t stop there. Kids won’t be allowed to bring up their gay family members in school. They will not be able to draw pictures of their family or mention their same-sex parents in the classroom. This bill will go as far as to force educators to out their students to parents if they find out about their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Those who support this bill believe that it merely controls conversations and keeps them in the home. The idea is to make sure parents have control of these discussions, but this bill does way more harm than good.

Why is the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill harmful?

President and CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, spoke with NBC News about the impact this bill would have on the LGBTQ+ community. She explained that this is a solution to a problem that does not exist. Teachers are not out here lecturing about the LGBTQ+ community in ways that encourage kids to question their own identities (that’s not even how it works). 

Just the potential of this bill passing spoke volumes, but now that it is in place, the message is even more clear. This bill tells LGBTQ+ youth that they do not matter. It silences them and will undoubtedly force some back into the closet. This bill is making a statement that discrimination is okay in the eyes of Florida schools and the law.

LGBTQ+ youth face unique challenges and risks. The rates of drug abuse, self-harm and similar things are already higher in this community. These young people don’t need to face more people telling them to be quiet and to keep their identities bottled up inside. 

The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health reported that 94% of LGBTQ+ youth’s mental health was negatively impacted by recent politics. 75% of LGBTQ+ youth reported facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

In the United States, 4.2 million young people experience homelessness. According to True Colors United, about 7% of youth in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ+, while 40% of the young people experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+. Young LGBTQ+ people are 120% more likely to experience homelessness.

It is no secret that homophobic parents often kick their children out after learning about their sexual orientation or gender identity. The risks are even worse now that teachers are going to be required to out their students. A lot of these young people pick and choose who they wish to come out to, often avoiding their parents entirely out of fear.

What can you do to stand up against the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill? 

These laws are not about protecting children; they are about taking away their rights. When we make rules like this that silence the LGBTQ+ community and erase America’s homophobic past, we are taking away opportunities for education and acceptance.  

Schools should be a haven for kids, not a place they fear. Forcing schools and educators to out students is unacceptable. If you are looking to fight back against this bill, one of the best resources is Equality Florida. 

We must stay vigilant and continue to educate others. If you’ve read this far, you are on the right track. Speak up for the LGBTQ+ people around you, whether that is in school or outside of the system. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice, and silencing people for being themselves does no one any good.