Protests Erupt As Florida Advances Expansion To ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law

Protests erupted wrong and adjacent Florida’s Capitol gathering Friday arsenic lawmakers successful the state’s House of Representatives voted to walk an enlargement to what critics commonly notation to arsenic the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

The projected authorities would physique connected the 2022 Parental Rights successful Education Act, which bans discussions of sex individuality and sexuality from kindergarten done 3rd people astatine nationalist schools. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and different Florida conservatives person argued that teaching specified topics successful nationalist schools is simply a signifier of “indoctrination,” and that these should alternatively beryllium taught by parents astatine home.

The caller bill, HB 1069, would spot further limits connected discussions of enactment education, intersexual predisposition and sex individuality successful K-12 nationalist schools, and would person them thatch that “sex is determined by biology and reproductive relation astatine birth.” It would besides restrict the mode that teachers successful these schools tin usage students’ preferred pronouns.

As lawmakers debated the measure Friday, implicit 100 LGBTQ+ students and allies marched toward the authorities Capitol. Many flooded into the halls extracurricular the House chamber, with others protesting astir the gathering and successful areas adjacent the Capitol grounds.

The protesters extracurricular the House enclosure stood successful a ample circle, chanting “this is what ideology looks like” and “hey hey, ho ho, Ron DeSantis has got to go.” The assemblage started booing upon proceeding quality of the bill’s passage.

Many Florida Democrats opposed the proposal, saying it was tantamount to sex discrimination, Politico reports.

“This measure does thing but archer definite parts of our assemblage successful Florida that they don’t exist,” said authorities Rep. Ashley Gantt (D), according to Politico.

Two GOP lawmakers voted against the proposal. But successful Florida’s Republican-majority legislative chamber, the measure inactive passed 77-35. The ballot took spot connected Transgender Day of Visibility, observed annually connected March 31.

HB 1069 is among 10 Florida bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights that person precocious successful the existent legislative session, arsenic good arsenic hundreds much nationwide. These see akin expansions to the Parental Rights successful Education Act, specified arsenic SB 1320 and HB 1223, introduced by GOP lawmakers successful Florida.