• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Dexter Origins confirmed with plans for more serial killer spin offs
  • Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo
  • Jazz Jennings Admits ‘Nervous’ Remark From Date Left Her Feeling ‘Uncomfortable’ In New Sneak Peek

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Into Law; LGBTQ Advocates Denounce ‘Cowardly’ Decision, Plan To Continue Fight

Brian Bell March 29, 2022 Leave a Comment

don't say gay

“Don’t Say Gay” Bill Becomes Law

The widely criticized “Don’t Say Gay” bill is now law after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law on Monday amongst a gathering of conservative lawmakers, students and parents. The measure will go into effect on July 1.

DeSantis’ signature comes after months of national outcry over the chilling effect the bill poses for LGBTQ students in Florida, educators and classroom instruction and discussion of LGBTQ topics. The Parental Rights in Education bill explicitly prohibits the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3 and bans similar discussions at all grade levels if done “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

DeSantis signed the bill during a ceremony held at Classical Preparatory School, a K-12 charter school in Spring Hill, FL that wouldn’t be subject to measure.

A friendly reminder to the bigots in Tallahassee. pic.twitter.com/7MPTxNna7p

— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) March 28, 2022

“We will make sure parents send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination,” DeSantis said prior to signing the bill. “We will continue to recognize that, in the state of Florida, parents have a fundamental role in the education, healthcare and well-being of their children. We will not move from that.”

DeSantis’ Comments

DeSantis criticized “school materials” that mentioned “sexuality and woke gender ideology” before displaying multiple examples of what he called “transgender educational materials” he claimed were found in Florida schools, including a poster of “The Genderbread Man,” a visual tool used to lead discussions on gender identity and expression. “Overwhelmingly, parents oppose injecting this kind of material into their kids,” said DeSantis.

The governor also noted the wide denouement of the bill saying that it’s opponents “support sexualizing kids in kindergarten” and “enabling schools to transition students to a ‘different gender’ without the knowledge of the parent, much less without the parent’s consent,” phrasing that points to the recent re-framing of the bill by supporters as an “anti-grooming” bill.

He also took aim at Hollywood as a number of celebrities, including Jessica Chastain at Sunday’s Academy Awards, have denounced the bill. “If the people who held Harvey Weinstein up oppose us on parents’ rights, I wear that like a badge of honor,” DeSantis said.

“The Most Cowardly Way Possible”

LGBTQ advocacy groups were quick to condemn DeSantis’ signing of the bill. “Today, Governor DeSantis once again placed Florida squarely on the wrong side of history, and place his own young constituents directly in harm’s way – and he has done this for no other reason than to serve his own political ambitions,” said Human Rights Campaign interim president Joni Madison in a statement.

Equality Florida characterized how DeSantis signed the bill as “the most cowardly way possible” in a statement. “He hid his agenda from the media and the public until the last moment, skulking onto a charter school campus that is exempt from the law and away from students who would protest his presence,” Equality Florida said. “He has attacked parents and children in our state by invoking hateful anti-LGBTQ stereotypes all to pander to his right-wing base as he prepares to run for president in 2024.”

In November, I will have the pleasure of voting this bigot out of office, alongside millions of my peers. @GovRonDeSantis, count your days as governor, you’re messing with the wrong generation. https://t.co/hDr4kf5Ik9

— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) March 28, 2022

The organization said DeSantis “damaged our state’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place for all families.” “[H]e has made us a laughing stock and target of national derision. Worse, he has made schools less safe for children.”

“In November, I will have the pleasure of voting this bigot out of office, alongside millions of my peers,” said Jack Petocz, the student who helped organize the DSG Walkout protest earlier this month that saw Florida high schoolers speak out en mass against the bill. “Gov. DeSantis, count your days as governor, you’re messing with the wrong generation.”

“If Ron DeSantis truly cared about ‘protecting children,’ he’d develop programs and resources to address the struggles LGBTQ+ youth disproportionately face. Instead, he’s signing legislation to erase us from existence for political gain,” Petocz added.

“HB 1557 has been weaponized by the governor to launch a bigoted, smear campaign to attack and defame LGBTQ+ Floridians with baseless accusations of grooming/pedophilia,” said out gay state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith following DeSantis’ signing of the bill.

“Time and time again, DeSantis has proven he cares more about catering to extremists than protecting his constituents,” said the Democratic National Committee in a statement. “Floridians deserve a governor who isn’t solely focused on scoring his next Fox News interview and is actually working to deliver for them.”

“Intentionally Vague”

Defenders of the bill have stated that critics mischaracterize the language of the bill by labeling it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. While those exact words do not appear in the text of HB 1557, legal experts have expressed concern over the vague language of the bill as it pertains to determining the age and developmental appropriateness of teachings on LGBTQ topics.

“Vagueness is deployed for certain purposes. People aren’t vague just because they’re ignorant; they’re not vague because they’re sloppy; they’re not vague because they’re lazy,” University of Miami law professor Charlton Copeland told NBC News. “Sometimes they’re intentionally vague to move the site of where the political fight is going to take place.”

Smith commented on the vague language of the bill on Twitter by pointing out that QAnon adjacent Proud Boys supporter Esther Byrd was nominated to Florida’s State of Board of Education earlier this month by DeSantis. “Remember the vague part of #DontSayGay … Well, QAnon will now decide what “age-appropriate” means,” Smith said.

FUN FACT: Florida statute DOES NOT censor classroom discussion of sensitive topics like suicide, drug use, death, or abortion.

So why pass a law censoring discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity….unless the homophobia and transphobia WAS the point? #SayGayAnyway

— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) March 28, 2022

The bill allows parents to file civil suits against school districts and school employees if they deem a topic of discussion about LGBTQ individuals or topics isn’t appropriate for their child regardless of the student’s age. “This kind of ever-present possibility of having to defend oneself, of a school district having to spend resources, will have its own chilling effects,” Copeland said. “If a student raises a question that is not part of the lesson plan or the instructional plan of a teacher, but that question ties to sexual orientation or gender identity, then what may the teacher say at that point?” added Clay Calvert, University of Florida Levin College of Law professor.

Smith, like others, signaled that the fight to repeal the bill will continue. “The battle against #DontSayGay is far from over,” he said in a statement. “To those LGBTQ youth in Florida and around the world struggling to find support, just know that you are loved exactly the way you are and we’ll continue to fight for you every single day because your lives are worth fighting for.”

Don’t Say Gay: Previously on Towleroad

Screenshot via YouTube

Topics: News, Featured More Posts About: Democratic National Committee, florida, LGBTQ Youth, Ron DeSantis, school

Related Posts
  • Ron DeSantis retaliates against Florida venue that hosted drag show in December
  • U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor
  • Florida pastor clashes with DeSantis over Black history courses and vows to host them in his church
  • Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

    Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

    Published by OK Magazine mega Tom Brady‘s latest sultry snap has fans drooling. On Monday, February 6, the legendary quarterback took to his Instagram Story to tease his 13.4 million followers with a stripped-down mirror selfie. …Read More »
  • Jazz Jennings Admits ‘Nervous’ Remark From Date Left Her Feeling ‘Uncomfortable’ In New Sneak Peek

    Jazz Jennings Admits ‘Nervous’ Remark From Date Left Her Feeling ‘Uncomfortable’ In New Sneak Peek

    Published by OK Magazine TLC Jazz Jennings has entered the dating pool — which has turned out to be more of a rocky, dating dance. In the sneak peek of the Tuesday, February 6, episode of …Read More »
  • Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people

    Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people

    Published by Global Voices A screenshot of Google maps (Jakarta). Composed by Sydney Allen via Canva Global Voices has extensively cataloged the pressures, violence, hate speech, and oppression queer people face all over the world. Whether …Read More »
  • Pro-LGBTQ Christian school forced to close after being ‘bombarded by hate’

    Pro-LGBTQ Christian school forced to close after being ‘bombarded by hate’

    Published by Raw Story A Christian school in Kansas City is being forced to close after its donations almost completely dried up ever since it came out in support of LGBTQ rights. The Kansas City Star …Read More »
Previous Post: « Former Chelsea Football Club Owner Roman Abramovich Reportedly ‘Poisoned Along With Ukraine Peace Negotiators’ In Russia
Next Post: N.J. students walk out as they demand right to fly the LGBTQ+ Pride flag »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Ivanka Trump ‘Doesn’t Trust’ Donald Trump Jr.’s Fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle, Claims Insider: ‘Sees Her As A Desperate Social Climber’

    Ivanka Trump ‘Doesn’t Trust’ Donald Trump Jr.’s Fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle, Claims Insider: ‘Sees Her As A Desperate Social Climber’

  • A Secret Weapon in Preventing the Next Pandemic: Fruit Bats

    A Secret Weapon in Preventing the Next Pandemic: Fruit Bats

  • Explainer-Biden’s State of the Union address and what to expect

    Explainer-Biden’s State of the Union address and what to expect

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • ‘At Least You Know I’m Singing Live’: Adele FORGETS The Lyrics To Her Award-Winning Song At Las Vegas Residency Before Grammys

    ‘At Least You Know I’m Singing Live’: Adele FORGETS The Lyrics To Her Award-Winning Song At Las Vegas Residency Before Grammys

  • ‘Leaving Neverland’ Director SLAMS Michael Jackson Biopic Starring Late King Of Pop’s Nephew, Claiming It Will ‘Glorify A Pedophile’

    ‘Leaving Neverland’ Director SLAMS Michael Jackson Biopic Starring Late King Of Pop’s Nephew, Claiming It Will ‘Glorify A Pedophile’

  • Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton’s ‘little known’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer role

    Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton’s ‘little known’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer role

RSS Partner Links

  • Princess Kate wore stripes in a video for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
  • Courtiers have hatched a plan to not invite Duchess Meghan to the Chubbly
  • Chris Brown Apologized To Robert Glasper After His Post-Grammy Loss Tantrum
  • Murray Bartlett On Aging Up For THE LAST OF US + Santos Facing Probe (In A Bad Way) + Lea Michele Opens Up About GROWTH Since GLEE + Her Name Is Barbra, Guys! + MORE! — 6-PACK
  • 24-Year-Old Shawn Mendes Is Rumored To Be Dating His 51-Year Chiropractor
  • Brandi Glanville Allegedly Sexually Assaulting Caroline Manzo Was Why She Got Kicked Off “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip”
  • Stephanie Hsu & Ashley Park Go For A 'Joy Ride' With Friends

Most Recent

  • Dexter Origins confirmed with plans for more serial killer spin offs

    Dexter Origins confirmed with plans for more serial killer spin offs

  • Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

    Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

  • Jazz Jennings Admits ‘Nervous’ Remark From Date Left Her Feeling ‘Uncomfortable’ In New Sneak Peek

    Jazz Jennings Admits ‘Nervous’ Remark From Date Left Her Feeling ‘Uncomfortable’ In New Sneak Peek

  • Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people

    Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people

  • Pro-LGBTQ Christian school forced to close after being ‘bombarded by hate’

    Pro-LGBTQ Christian school forced to close after being ‘bombarded by hate’

  • Afghanistan’s LGBTQ+ may prefer death to life under Taliban

    Afghanistan’s LGBTQ+ may prefer death to life under Taliban

  • Hogwarts Legacy seemingly adds first transgender Harry Potter character

    Hogwarts Legacy seemingly adds first transgender Harry Potter character

  • Grammy Awards: Men’s fashion steals the red carpet in stereotype-shattering style

    Grammy Awards: Men’s fashion steals the red carpet in stereotype-shattering style

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×