Expansion of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ passes Florida Senate, heads to DeSantis’s desk

An expansion of the Florida law critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” passed the state Senate Wednesday and is on its way to the desk of GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it.

In a 27-12 vote, the Florida Senate passed an expansion of the law that was put into effect last year in the state. 

The expansion of the Parental Rights in Education measure will include a ban on “classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity” through eighth grade; last year’s bill only went through third grade. 

In high schools, teachers will not be allowed to discuss either topic in a manner that is not “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” for their students. Teachers also will not be able to address transgender students by the pronouns of their choice under the expansion of the law. 

“This bill promotes parental rights, transparency, and state standards in Florida schools. It requires that lessons for Florida’s students are age-appropriate, focused on education, and free from sexualization and indoctrination,” state Rep. Adam Anderson (R) previously stated.

Along with expanding restrictions on instruction, it also creates a process that makes it easier for books to be taken off school shelves. 

Any person within a county can challenge a book for any reason, and it must be pulled off the shelves for a review process that some fear could take weeks or months. 

DeSantis is almost certain to sign the expansion a little more than a year after he signed the first “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law.

The expansion also comes weeks after the State Board of Education voted to ban the topic of sexual orientation and sexual identity in all grades. 

While activists do not have much room left to fight the bill, they are sounding an alarm on concerns about how this will affect LGBTQ youth. 

“The Don’t Say LGBTQ law has already caused sweeping damage across our state,” said Jon Harris Maurer, Equality Florida’s public policy director. “It was wrong when it was adopted, and expanding it is wrong now.”

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, released a statement touting mayors across Florida who have signed the LGBTQ rights organization’s Rise Up pledge that marks the mayors’ communities as safe places for LGBTQ youth. 

“LGBTQ+ youth in Florida have faced relentless attacks from extremist politicians intent on silencing, excluding, and erasing them,” said GLSEN Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers. “We’re grateful for the leaders who have pledged to rise up in support of LGBTQ+ youth and policies that promote safe and inclusive schools. We stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ youth and supportive parents and educators in Florida, and we’re never going to stop fighting for safe, inclusive, and affirming learning environments for all students.”