A call for saying “gay”

Abstract

On March 28, 2022, Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557 “The Parental Rights in Education” bill into law, taking effect July 1, 2022. As written, the bill: (a) prohibits discussion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, and all other terms and concepts related to sexuality and gender (LGBTQ+) topics within schools, (b) requires schools to provide access to confidential records (e.g., counseling notes), and (c) requires school staff to notify parents when students engage in LGBTQ+ conversations or seek resources. While proponents posit that HB 1557 protects the “parents' fundamental rights to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their children,” critics and activists contend that the bill will result in enduring damage to LGBTQ+ students. The purpose of this essay is threefold: (a) describe HB 1557 and elaborate on public responses to the bill, (b) provide stakeholder commentary on HB 1557, and (c) offer considerations to support members of the LGBTQ+ community in schools.