The legislation sparked a social and political storm in Florida when it was introduced by Republican lawmakers in January. The vote comes as conservatives across the country are pushing for a series of bills that would further marginalize members of the LGBTQ community. DeSantis, an ardent conservative with a history of advocating against LGBTQs, has in the past passed legislation targeting LGBTQ Florida, including a ban on trans sports last year. “We will continue to recognize that in the state of Florida, parents have a fundamental role to play in their children’s education, health care and well-being. . DeSantis’s move was met with immediate reaction from LGBTQ supporters, including the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization working to prevent suicide among young LGBTQs. “Young LGBTQs in Florida deserve better. They deserve to see their history, their families and themselves reflected in the classroom,” Amit Paley, the group’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. with the signing of the law, I am inspired by the explosion of support for LGBTQ students we have seen from their parents, teachers, celebrities and peers. “Social support is vital to suicide prevention, and I want to remind young LGBTQ people in Florida and across the country that you are not alone.” The new law stipulates that “teaching in the classroom by school staff or third parties about sexual orientation or gender identity is not allowed in kindergarten until the third grade or in a way that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students according to state standards “. Conservatives say HB 1557 is needed to give parents more control over what students learn and discuss at school, stressing that LGBTQ-related issues should be left to families to discuss at home. But opponents say it would have a negative impact on an already marginalized community, citing evidence that young LGBTQs reported lower suicide rates when they had access to LGBTQ confirmation sites. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. The bill has attracted Democrat control in the state and elsewhere, including President Joe Biden, who promised earlier this year to protect LGBTQ youth from such measures. In addition, the new law would require districts to “adopt procedures for notifying a student’s parent if there is a change in student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional or physical health or well-being”, which they argue the LGBTQ. could lead some students to address their parents without the student’s knowledge or consent. Proponents also fear that the law would limit students ‘ability to speak confidentially with school counselors – some of whom are students’ only source of mental health services. Opponents have also pointed to the Trevor Project investigation. The group said in a statement last month that “young LGBTQs who had access to sites that confirmed their sexual orientation and gender identity – including in schools – reported lower suicide rates than those who did not.”
Student departures and Disney condemnation
Opponents of HB 1557 have spent much of this year mobilizing against it, with Gen Z supporters being some of its most visible objections. Students have been leading large demonstrations and school dropouts for weeks in protest of the legislation. Earlier this month, more than 500 students took part in a mass strike at Winter Park High School in Orange County. Meanwhile, Disney, which employs 75,000 people in Florida, also found itself in the middle of a controversy over legislation after its chief executive, Bob Chapek, broke up the company’s response to it in early March. Chapek later apologized to his LGBTQ staff, telling them, “I needed to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I disappointed you. I’m sorry.” On Monday, Disney said its goal is for the law to be repealed by the legislature or repealed in the courts, according to a company spokesman. “Florida HB 1557, also known as the ‘Do Not Say Homosexual’ bill, should never have been passed and should never have been signed into law,” the statement said. The company said it was “committed to defending the rights and security of LGBTQ + members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ + community in Florida and across the country.” DeSantis appeared provocative when the bill was signed on Monday, telling attendees: “I do not care what the media say. I do not care what Hollywood says. I do not care what the big companies say,” a tacit reference to the opposition. of Disney. “I’m standing here. I’m not going back,” he said. At least one LGBTQ rights group has threatened to take legal action against the law. “Let us be clear: if its vague language is interpreted in any way that harms a single child, teacher or family, we will take legal action against the State of Florida to challenge this fictitious law,” said Equality Florida, the state’s top LGBTQ advocacy group said in a statement earlier this month. CNN’s Steve Contorno and Rachel Janfaza contributed to this report.
