What is Florida's Don't Say Gay bill? | The Independent

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into law a controversial piece of legislation aimed at restricting schools in the Sunshine State ... SignupforthedailyInsideWashingtonemailforexclusiveUScoverageandanalysissenttoyourinboxGetourfreeInsideWashingtonemail PleaseenteravalidemailaddressPleaseenteravalidemailaddressSIGNUPIwouldliketobeemailedaboutoffers,eventsandupdatesfromTheIndependent.Readour privacynoticeThanksforsigninguptotheInsideWashingtonemail{{#verifyErrors}}{{message}}{{/verifyErrors}}{{^verifyErrors}}Somethingwentwrong.Pleasetryagainlater{{/verifyErrors}}FloridaGovernorRonDeSantishassignedintolawacontroversialpieceoflegislationaimedatrestrictingschoolsintheSunshineStatefromteachingstudentsaboutsexualorientationandgenderissues,withteachersopeningthemselvesuptolawsuitsshouldtheyfailtocomply.Dubbedthe“Don’tSayGay”billbyitscriticsbutformallyknownasthe“ParentalRightsinEducation”bill,thetextofthelegislationstatesthat“classroominstructionbyschoolpersonnelorthirdpartiesonsexualorientationorgenderidentitymaynotoccurinkindergartenthrough[thirdgrade]”or“inamannerthatisnotageappropriateordevelopmentallyappropriateforstudentsinaccordancewithstatestandards”inothergrades.Further,itexplicitlystatesthatparents“maybringanactionagainstaschooldistricttoobtainadeclaratoryjudgement”andacourtmayawarddamagesandattorney’sfeesifitfindsthataschoolviolatedthemeasure.ThebillwaspassedbyFlorida’sRepublican-controlledHouseofRepresentativeson24FebruaryandthestateSenateon8March.GovernorDeSantissigneditintolawon28March,meaningitstermswillcomeintoeffectfrom1July,withallschooldistrictplansrequiredtobeupdatedbyJune2023.AgroupofLGBT+advocacyorganisationsandcivilrightsattorneysfiledafederallawsuitagainstMrDeSantisandthestate’seducationofficialstoblockenforcementofthelawon31March.Democraticlegislatorsproposedaseriesofamendmentstoclarifythebill’sintent,ortoseparateitsostensibleintentfromitsimpact,bystrikingoutlanguagethatcouldtargetLGBT+studentsandtheirfamilies.Theyallfailed.RecommendedGOP‘groomer’smearsaresparkinganewwaveofanti-LGBT+violence:‘Thisisgoingtoleadtotragedy’‘Nomatterwhoithurts’:HowanexplosionofGOPbillstargetingLGBT+AmericanscreatedacrisisHowFloridaresidentscouldenduppayingfortheGOP’swarwithDisneyover‘Don’tSayGay’WhatDonaldTrumpJrandGOPproponentsof‘Don’tSayGay’getwrongaboutthebillARepublicanamendmentproposedrequiringschoolstodisclosewhetherachildisLGBT+totheirparentswithinsixweeksoflearningthattheyarenotstraight–butitwaswithdrawnbeforethebillreachedtheHouse.WhyLGBT+advocatesopposethebillThelawhasattractedwidespreadcriticisminFloridaandbeyond,withopponentsarguingitwouldeffectivelysilencealready-vulnerableLGBT+studentsandhinderorharmtheirpersonaldevelopmentwhilepotentiallyviolatingeducators’freedomofspeechandFirstAmendmentrights.Thousandsofhighschoolstudentsstagedwalkoutsinprotestoverthebill,andalargedemonstrationwasheldoutsidethestateCapitolbuildingaslegislatorsdebatedthelegislation.ThebillcameupfordebateintheSenateon7March,whereShevrinJones–thefirstopenlyLGBT+memberofFlorida’sRepublican-dominatedSenate–madeanemotionalappealforproponentsofthebilltoshootitdownbecauseitcouldforcibly“out”LGBT+studentsandhaveachillingeffectonLGBT+peopleandissuesinFloridaschools.Republicanofficialsdefendingthebillinsistitsintentionissimplytokeepparents“intheknowandinvolvedonwhat’sgoingon”withtheirchildren’seducationandthatitscriticsare“absolutelymisinformedonwhatexactlythebilldoes”,accordingtoonethebill’schiefsponsors,RepublicanstaterepresentativeJoeHarding.ButcriticsarguethatsupportersofthelegislationhavefailedtoprovidecomforttoLGBT+studentsandfamiliesvoicingconcernsthatproponentsofthemeasurebelieveareunfoundedoroverstated.Analystsarguedthatthelaw’sbroadscopecouldpreventclassroomdiscussionorinstructionaboutLGBT+people,historyandevents,orstudents’families,orquestionsfromstudentsaboutanyofthoseissues,underthreatfrompotentiallawsuitsagainstschooldistrictsoverperceivedviolations.GovernorDeSantis,apotentialcontenderforthe2024Republicanpresidentialcampaign,signedthebillintolawon28Marchataceremonysurroundedbychildrenandadministrationofficials,wherehesaidthebillwillensurethat“parentscansendtheirkidstoschooltogetaneducation,notanindoctrination.”SpeakingatapressconferenceinMarch,GovernorDeSantissaid:“Mygoalistoeducatekidsonthesubjects,math,reading,science,allthethingsthataresoimportant.Idon’twanttheschoolstokindofbeaplaygroundforideologicaldisputes.”Thegovernorclaimsthatthebilladdresses“sexualstuff”and“tellingkidstheymaybeabletopickgendersandallthat”–noneofwhichisincludedinthebill.“Howmanyparentswanttheirkindergartenerstohave‘transgenderism’orsomethinginjectedintoclassroomdiscussion?”heasked.ViewmoreOn7March,helashedoutatareporterwhoaskedwhetherhesupportsthebill,claimingthatitwouldonlyimpactstudentsinkindergartenthroughthirdgrade.Thebillisnotlimitedtothosegrades;classroominstructiononsexualorientationandgenderidentitywouldbeprohibitedatallgradelevelsifitisnotdeemed“ageappropriate.”HispresssecretaryChristinaPushawcalleditthe“anti-groomingbill”,revivinganti-LGBT+attackssuggestingLGBT+peoplearepaedophiles.Hercommentswereechoedacrosssocialmediaandbyotherright-wingmediafiguresandotherRepublicanofficials.LGBT+advocacyorganisationEqualityFloridasaidherstatement“saidthequietpartoutloud:thatthisbillisgroundedinabeliefthatLGBTQpeople,simplybyexisting,areathreattochildrenandmustbeerased”.FollowingseveralhoursofdebateaheadofavoteinthestateSenate,billsupporterIleanaGarciaclaimed“gayisnotapermanentthing”and“LGBTisnotapermanentthing.”EqualityFloridaandagroupofFloridafamiliesfiledtheirlawsuittoblockenforcementofthebillinUSDistrictCourton31March,callingthemeasurean“unlawfulattempttostigmatize,silence,anderaseLGBTQpeopleinFlorida’spublicschools”.“Thisefforttocontrolyoungmindsthroughstatecensorship–andtodemeanLGBTQlivesbydenyingtheirreality–isagraveabuseofpower,”the80-pagecomplaintstates.WhyDisneyisunderfireForyears,Floridalegislatorsandthegovernor’sofficeenjoyedacloserelationshipwithTheWaltDisneyCompany,thestate’slargestprivateemployer,withroughly80,000themeparkworkersalone.Disneyalsoisapoliticalheavyweight,dispatchingseverallobbyiststoTallahasseeforlegislativesessionsandspendingmillionsofdollarsthroughitsmanyentitiestoDemocraticandRepublicanlegislatorseachelectioncycletopromoteitsbusiness.CampaignfinancerecordsreviewedbyTheIndependentfoundthatDisneyentitiescontributedthousandsofdollarstothere-electioncampaignsoftheprimarysponsorsofthelaw,aswellasatleast$50,000tothe2022re-electioncampaignforGovernorDeSantis,despitethecompany’shistoryofLGBT+advocacy.RecommendedThisFloridateenwentviralforaclassroomlessononLGBT+historyafter‘Don’tSayGay’becamelaw‘PedoWorld’signrippedfromDisneyentranceatfailedright-wing‘blockade’protestFollowingweeksofpressureamongLGBT+advocatesandDisneyemployeestopubliclylobbyagainstthebill,CEOBobChapekannouncedthatthecompanywouldopposethebillandsuspenditspoliticaldonationsinthestate.On11March,MrChapekannouncedthecompanywould“immediately”beginsupportingeffortstocombatsimilarlegislationinotherstatesandpause“allpoliticaldonations”inthestatependingareviewofthecompany’spoliticalgiving,concedingthatthecompanyfailedto“beastrongerallyinthefightforequalrights”.ViewmoreThecompany’sLGBT+employeesandstaffopposedtothelegislationstageddailywalkoutstopressureDisneytoindefinitelyceaseallcampaigndonationstostateofficialswhocreatedorhelpedpassthemeasureanddemandthatDisneyleadershippubliclycommittoanactionableplanthatprotectsemployeesfromanti-LGBT+legislation.Theactionsculminatedinafullworkdaywalkoutor“sickout”on22March.“Ourgoalasacompanyisforthislawtoberepealedbythelegislatureorstruckdownbythecourts,andweremaincommittedtosupportingthenationalandstateorganisationsworkingtoachievethat,”thecompanysaidon28March,whenthegovernorsignedthebillintolaw.GovernorDeSantisandmembersofhisadministrationhavelashedoutatthecompany,ignitingafeudthatescalatedtoRepublicanthreatstopunishitsoperationsinthestate.FloridastateRepSpencerRoachsaidagroupofstatelegislatorsmetatleasttwicetodiscusspotentiallychangingmunicipalgovernmentagreementsaffectingDisneyinretaliationforwhathecalledthecompany’s“wokeideology.”InApril,GovernorDeSantisexpandedthescopeofaspeciallegislativesessiononthestate’sredistrictingplanstoalsoconsiderthe“terminationofallspecialdistrictsthatwereenactedinFloridapriorto1968,”includingthemunicipaltaxingandgovernmentdistrictcreatedin1967thatallowsDisneytotaxandregulateitssprawlingparkandresortpropertiesintheOrlandoarea.WhattheWhiteHousesaysUSPresidentJoeBidentoldFloridastudentsinamessageonTwitterinFebruarythatthey“arelovedandacceptedjustasyouare”.“Ihaveyourback,andmyadministrationwillcontinuetofightfortheprotectionsandsafetyyoudeserve,”hesaid.WhiteHousepresssecretaryJenPsakialsohasrepeatedlydenouncedthelegislation,whichhasbeenechoedinatleastadozenotherRepublicanproposalsacrosstheUSin2022.Shesaidthemeasureisamong“misinformed,hatefulpoliciesthatdoabsolutelynothingtoaddresstherealissues”facingAmericanfamilies,andinanemotionalinterviewreleasedinApril,shecondemnedlegislationtargetingLGBT+peopleusedasa“politicalwedgeissue,anattempttowinaculturewar,andthey’redoingthatinawaythatisharshandcrueltoacommunity–ofkids,especially.”Morethan300piecesofstate-levellegislationin2022targettransgenderstudentathletes,healthcarefortransgenderyoungpeople,andclassroominstructionon“sexualorientationandgenderidentity”,amongothermeasurestargetingLGBT+people,mostlyyoungtransgenderpeople.TheadministrationhasurgedcongressionalpassageoftheEqualityAct,whichwouldexpandfederalantidiscriminationprotectionstoLGBT+peopleinemployment,housing,credit,juryservice,andfederallyfundedprogrammess,includinghealthcareandeducation.ThatbillisstalledintheUSSenate.TheUSDepartmentofJusticealsohasissuedalettertoallstateattorneysgeneralremindingthemoffederalconstitutionalandstatutoryprovisionsthatprotecttransgenderpeoplefromdiscrimination.UStransportsecretaryPeteButtigieg,thefirstopenlyLGBT+memberoftheWhiteHousecabinet,warnedthatthebillcouldinspireaspikeinteensuicides.A2021reportfromLGBT+suicidepreventionandcrisisinterventiongroupTheTrevorProjectfoundthatLGBT+youtharefourtimesmorelikelytoseriouslyconsider,planorattemptsuicidethantheirpeers,whileLGBT+youngpeoplebetweentheagesof13and24attempttokillthemselvesevery45secondswithintheUS.AnotherreportfromtheorganisationfoundthatLGBT+youngpeoplewholearnedaboutLGBT+peopleorissuesinschoolwere23percentlesslikelytoreportasuicideattemptwithinthelastyear.ThisstorywaspreviouslypublishedonMarch12andhasbeenupdated 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