"Don't Say Gay"- The Culture Warrior Protection Bill
There's nothing in the "Anti-Grooming Bill" that's about protecting children
On Monday, I wrote about society’s unfortunate propensity for getting way too far up in the business of those who have nothing to do with them. The idea that someone’s gender identity or sexuality is “sinful,” “immoral,” or “wrong” is a fine opinion to have- but we all know what opinions are like. In the vast majority of cases, another person's gender identity or sexuality has ZERO impact on anyone else.
Despite this reality, too many Right-wing culture warriors feel that their morality and religiosity imbue them with the absolute right to dictate how others live and love. That “right” appears to be the intent behind Florida Gov. Ron De Santis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which he signed into law Monday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has signed legislation known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law despite nationwide outrage, largely forbidding instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in most elementary school classrooms.
The legislation, which allows parents to sue school districts in order to enforce it, mandates that any classroom lessons “by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
Opponents of the legislation ― who gave the bill the “Don’t Say Gay” moniker ― have slammed it as hateful and discriminatory and have vowed to fight it in court.
“We will not sit by and allow the governor’s office to call us pedophiles,” Equality Florida said in a statement when the legislation passed out of the state Senate. “We will not allow this bill to harm LGBTQ Floridians. We will not permit any school to enforce this in a way that endangers the safety of children. We stand ready to fight for Floridians in court and hold lawmakers who supported this bill accountable at the ballot box.”
Never mind that there’s no curriculum on “sexual orientation or gender identity” in Florida for K-3 students. Nor is there any formal sexual education training. So where’s the fire? Why the rush to “protect” children from something that isn’t even a problem? Like efforts to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which isn’t taught in elementary or secondary schools, Gov. De Santis’ bill is a solution in search of a problem.
De Santis, who’s often mentioned as a possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate, “Don’t Say Gay” appears to be less about protecting children than protecting his political agenda. In trying to demonstrate his culture warrior bona fides, he’s working to reduce the LGBTQ community to second-class status. Unfortunately, as the Governor and his supporters continue to portray the LGBTQ community as pedophiles, there’s real potential for actual harm to be done to innocent people.
Part of the problem is that educators don’t know what behaviors are criminalized by “Don’t Say Gay.” For example, if a gay kindergarten teacher has a picture of his partner on his desk, and a child asks him about the person in the picture, can that teacher speak honestly about their relationship? Or will he have to lie about what that person means to him?
In a pathetic effort that only confirmed the fears of the bill’s opponents, De Santis’ spokesperson issued two tweets stating that opponents supported sexually grooming underage students. That’s there no evidence to support her claim seems almost beside the point.
There’s nothing like hammering tired, inaccurate tropes to justify hatred and homophobia, eh?
Of course, “Don’t Say Gay” isn’t “the Anti-Grooming Bill,” as there’s no evidence of 4-8 year-old children being sexually groomed in Florida’s elementary schools. That someone in Ms. Pushaw’s position can make such an egregiously false statement and present it as objective truth is as dishonest as it is petty.
Pushaw doubled down on her hatefulness in a statement to Florida Politics, stating that, “Pedophiles groom kids by talking to them about sex.” She also failed to mention that most pedophiles are heterosexual. But why let the truth stand in the way of an opportunity to engage in some gratuitous homophobia?
For many students who may be struggling with issues concerning their sexuality, teachers can be a safe choice to turn to when parents aren’t an option. It seems unlikely that 4-8-year-old children will be of an age when those questions come into play, but Gov. De Santis is convinced otherwise. Criminalizing these conversations won’t make it any easier for children who may have legitimate questions and struggle with things they don’t understand.
If “Don’t Say Gay” is really about the safety of children, then Gov. De Santis would be working to understand the issue. He’d be working to make it safer for children to be able to discuss sexuality and gender identity issues with teachers and trained professionals who could help children navigate those questions.
Instead, branding those who’d assist children as “groomers” and pedophiles look for children to sexually exploit flies in the face of all available evidence. It also arguably makes children who may be struggling with sexuality and gender identity issues LESS safe. Where can they go if they can’t talk to teachers and others at school who’ve historically provided safe spaces for such conversations? If they know they can’t speak to their parents, who can they talk to when they need someone to listen to them?
There’s so much wrong with “Don’t Say Gay,” not the least of which is that it’s a solution in search of a problem. Moreover, it’s a solution that demonizes LGBTQ teachers and staff members who may legitimately wish to help students- and could use their own experiences to do so.
Why is it so easy to demonize those who identify as LGBTQ? Why do so many see their path to power as running through denying the essential humanity of those who mean them no harm and want to live and love as they see fit? Instead, Republicans like Gov. De Santis continue to portray the LGBTQ community as evil, immoral, and sinful. Perhaps Republicans would do well to take a good, long look at the person in their mirror before passing judgment on others.
Being the targets of demonization and discrimination helps to explain why suicide rates are higher among LGBTQ youth than other groups. When a child grows up constantly hearing the message that there’s something wrong with them, that they’re immoral and evil, it’s difficult not to internalize that. It can be even more challenging to live with that internalized self-definition.
LGBTQ youth should be celebrated and treated as unique and worthy of love as any other child. But, sadly, one of our two major political parties has built its house on the soft sand of hatred and homophobia.
Our children- ALL of our children- deserve better.
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