‘Don’t Say Gay’
Cover Art by Leila Musah
UPDATE 2/22/22: The amendment to HB 1557 that would require school principals to disclose a child's sexual orientation to parents within six weeks if they find out a student has come out as other than straight was withdrawn from the bill. The Eagle Talon staff still wishes to express their opinion regarding the possibility of enacting such legislation.
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, an attempt to marginalize LGBTQ+ individuals, is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2022, in the state of Florida. The hateful and bigoted bill, if enacted, prevents teachers from speaking on topics revolving around sexual orientation and gender identity in school, and we question where the fear of these discussions comes from. When has speaking about the queer experience ever “turned” someone gay? When has learning about queer history ever harmed someone? Why do people have to be so hateful towards others who are just trying to pursue happiness in their own life, a constitutional right we are all promised as American citizens?
“Why do people have to be so hateful towards others who are just trying to pursue happiness in their own life, a constitutional right we are all promised as American citizens?”
To begin, Senate Bill 1834 and House Bill 1557 are the official names for what opponents call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The bills essentially state that parents should have control over what their children are learning about in school and prevent schools from withholding information about students’ sexualities and gender identities from their families. This is problematic in many ways, as schools would then be forced to divulge private information about students’ identities to avoid being sued. Being outed by a faculty member could endanger so many students, as their families may abuse them, send them to conversion therapy, or even worse. These reactions may seem extreme to outsiders, but they are very real for many people from the community and are a reason queer kids and teens don’t get to be themselves until they are no longer under their parents’ roofs, something we do not believe the Florida Senate is taking into consideration.
I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill — to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve. https://t.co/OcAIMeVpHL
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 8, 2022
The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ youth crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization, conducts a national survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health and in 2020, it was found that 40% of the young queer community had seriously contemplated suicide. These statistics demonstrate just how much young children and teenagers struggle with their sexualities and/or gender identities. Being dropped by friends, losing relationships with family members, being bullied and harassed, and more are all reasons that queer youth feel they are not important or wanted, and these experiences drive these young children and teenagers to take their own lives. Just imagine how much these statistics could rise if the “Don’t Say Gay” bill is enacted, and these same kids are being outed to their friends and family before they are ready or in a safe environment to do so. Parents in support of the bill’s passing claim they want to ensure the safety of their children, but these are the same people that will endanger their kids if they find out they aren’t straight, identify differently than their birth gender, etc., so are they really trying to make sure their children are safe or are they just trying to know so they can attempt to “fix” their child, making them who they want their child to be?
Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS
— Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022
The hopes of many in the community and its allies are that Florida legislators will recognize that this bill is discriminatory, unfair, and extremely unsafe for the students involved. The LGBTQ+ community has fought for their rights for centuries, and this fight will not stop until everyone everywhere has the freedom to love who they love and be who they are. This bill is just one roadblock in the way of every person getting to truly express themselves and feel safe in doing so.
Related Reading:
"DON’T SAY GAY" HAS SPARKED A DARK RESURRECTION OF LGBTQ+ HATE BILLS
