Florida Passes “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

March 8, 2022• byMichael Strangeways

The penis shaped state is being dickish yet again.

The Florida Legislature passed the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill on Tuesday and now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis for signing. The Republican governor, well known for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, is expected to sign the bill into law which would go into effect on July 1, 2022.

“Don’t Say Gay” is officially HB1557, the Parental Rights in Education bill which basically says that Florida teachers will not be allowed to “encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

It also gives parents the right to sue schools if teachers defy the law and use positive language about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Critics both in Florida and across the nation issued statements condemning the Florida bill including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation who had this to say about the bill and the Disney Corporation’s refusal to denounce it:

“HB 1557 is pure and simple a hateful, homophobic bill that will do enormous damage to LGBTQ+ students, their parents, teachers and counselors throughout Florida,” said Mike Kahane, AIDS Healthcare Foundations’s Southern Bureau Chief. “We urge Governor DeSantis: if you truly care about Florida schoolchildren, Do NOT sign this bill!”
Over the past week, AHF spearheaded rallies with hundreds of advocates at the Walt Company in both Orlando, FL and Burbank CA, the company’s headquarters, trying to persuade Disney—which has an enormous presence in Florida between Walt Disney World in Orlando and its thousands of LGBTQ+ employees, fans and customers there and across the globe to speak out publicly in opposition to the legislation.
“Shame on Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “You have lost any claim to corporate responsibility by abandoning your staff, your audience and the citizens of Florida to the ravages of hate. History will judge you very poorly.”

And, Amit Paley the CEO of the Trevor Project also issued a statement decrying the bill and the harm it would do to LGBTQ+ kids in Florida:

“Every LGBTQ young person deserves to attend a school that provides an inclusive, affirmative environment – not one that aims to erase their existence….We know that LGBTQ youth already face higher risk for bullying, depression, and suicide – and this bill will only add to the stigma that fuels these disparities. But it is not too late to stop it from becoming law. The Trevor Project urges Florida’s governor to reject this bill and, instead, support efforts that protect LGBTQ youth across the state.”
Amit Paley, CEO/Executive Director, The Trevor Project

And, Equality Florida got tough and laid down this challenge to the Governor and the state of Florida when they issued this statement:

About the Author: Michael Strangeways

As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.