Don't Say Gay' Bill

The law has drawn criticism from the White House, Disney employees and Hollywood. The governor has dismissed opponents as “woke.”

Mr. DeSantis argued that the law is a popular, common-sense measure limited in scope to the school curriculum. It will allow parents to opt out of counseling and mental health services and to sue school districts for any perceived violations. On Monday, Disney released a statement condemning the new law and urging lawmakers to repeal it or the courts to strike it down. The law could have far-reaching implications to children in other grades and without any connection to L.G.B.T.Q. issues. “This law doesn’t solve any problem that exists.” President Biden called the proposal “hateful.”

Surrounded by legislators, parents and young students, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which critics dubbed the ...

“They don’t want to admit that they support a lot of the things that we’re protecting against,” DeSantis said Monday of the bill’s opponents. “Gov. DeSantis has launched a smear campaign to attack LGBTQ people and baselessly accuse us of being pedophiles,” Rep. Smith said. Some advocates note that Florida has a long history of attempting to discourage young people from “recruitment” into homosexuality. They support enabling schools to ‘transition’ students to a ‘different gender’ without the knowledge of the parent.” He’s said the measure will stop young students from being “sexualized” in the classroom. Instruction on those topics is not currently a part of the curriculum in the state’s kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. About 34% of voters oppose that ban, according to the poll. They’ve argued that when voters read the language of the seven-page bill, they come away in favor of its provisions. The White House is opposed to the legislation. When it was originally filed, the legislation restricted “classroom discussion” about gender identity and sexual orientation. “It’s just another part of human life.” weird?” said Iris Pupo, a senior at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg who participated in a rally against the measure earlier this year.

Florida's governor signed a bill that bans instruction dealing with sexual orientation kindergarten through third grade. Dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by ...

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Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed the so-called Don't Say Gay bill Monday, March 28, which is almost certain to prompt lawsuits as opponents ...

Equality Florida will defend the rights of all students to have a healthy environment to learn and thrive and for all parents to know their families are included and respected. 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," Smith said. "I pushed back on this, as I wasn't going to allow staff to minimize our reach and message," Jack Petocz, the lead organizer, said. "LGBTQ youth in Florida deserve better. DeSantis also pushed back against critics of the legislation, saying: "I don't care what Hollywood says. "It's not something that's appropriate for any place, but especially not in Florida," he said.

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed the so-called Don't Say Gay bill Monday, March 28, which is almost certain to prompt lawsuits as opponents ...

Equality Florida will defend the rights of all students to have a healthy environment to learn and thrive and for all parents to know their families are included and respected. 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," Smith said. "I pushed back on this, as I wasn't going to allow staff to minimize our reach and message," Jack Petocz, the lead organizer, said. "LGBTQ youth in Florida deserve better. DeSantis also pushed back against critics of the legislation, saying: "I don't care what Hollywood says. "It's not something that's appropriate for any place, but especially not in Florida," he said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, ...

“My Administration will continue to fight for dignity and opportunity for every student and family — in Florida and around the country,” Biden tweeted Monday. DeSantis signed the bill after a news conference held at the Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill, about 46 miles (74 kilometers) north of Tampa. At the ceremony, several young children accompanied DeSantis and other politicians near the podium, with some holding signs bearing the governor’s “Protect Children/Support Parents” slogan. “Nothing in the amendment was about outing a student. The law went into effect just days after DeSantis signed a separate bill that potentially restricts what books elementary schools can keep in their libraries or use for instruction. “Even worse, #DontSayGay sends a hateful message to our most vulnerable youth who simply need our support.” The legislation has pushed Florida and DeSantis, an ascending Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country’s culture wars.

The controversial bill limits the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida schools. Image: Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall.

Its passing by Florida lawmakers rejected an onslaught of criticism from Democrats that it marginalizes LGBTQ people. “We’re going to have a great night tonight,” said the openly gay Sykes. “And for you people in Florida, we’re going to have a gay night.” She and fellow hosts Amy Schumer and Regina Hall then repeated the word “gay” multiple times, as many in the crowd such as Denzel Washington and Nicole Kidman smiled and applauded in delight.

The law says public school teachers may not instruct on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades kindergarten through third grade.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said The Walt Disney Company “crossed the line” with its criticism of the state's “Don't Say Gay” bill, which he recently ...

“It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights. “And then for them to say they’re going to actively work to repeal substantive protections for parents as a company that is supposedly marketing its services to parents with young children — I think they crossed the line.” “Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law.

The Florida measure rocketed to the forefront of national politics in recent months, drawing criticism from the LGBTQ community, Democrats and the White ...

Correction: This article was updated to correct that Iowa was one of the latest states to ban transgender athletes from playing sports according to their gender identity, not the first state. "So much attention has been on the Florida bill. The Arizona House on Thursday passed a similar bill that seeks to ban transgender children from playing sports alongside their peers, just three weeks after the state Senate passed it. The Alabama state Senate passed legislation making it a crime to provide gender reassignment medical services to transgender youth last month. Among the new signatories were United Airlines, Oracle and IHG Hotels & Resorts, which all represent tens of thousands of employees in Florida, according to Human Rights Campaign. Their signatures come as Disney faces sharp backlash for its initial silence on the Florida bill.