President Joe Biden made a rare step on Tuesday to denounce controversial Florida legislation that would ban the discussion of sexual orientation in schools.
Both the official White House Biden account and Biden himself weighed in on the bill on Twitter. The White House tweet condemned Republicans for advancing the bill.
Biden then offered his and his administration’s support to the LGBTQ+ community, especially to children who will be impacted by the bill, saying he wants them to know they are loved and accepted just as they are. “I have your back,” he said, adding that his administration will continue fighting for deserved protection and safety.
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill will restrict school districts from “encouraging discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” at the elementary school level, and stipulates that any discussion that does occur must be “age-appropriate” and “developmentally appropriate.”
The loose language about what would be considered “appropriate” opens up the likelihood that nothing will actually be deemed appropriate, completely banning all discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled his support for the Don’t Say Gay bill. He told reporters on Monday it was “entirely inappropriate” for teachers to discuss these topics with students.
The bill is staunchly opposed, with opponents warning that the legislation will lead to the further stigmatization of LGBTQ children, and result in more bullying and suicides. It will also eliminate LGBTQ history from the curriculum, and prevent helpful discussions from being had.
Despite fierce opposition, especially from activists and experts in the field, the bill is gaining momentum in the Florida Legislature. The bill passed in the Florida state Senate Education Committee along party lines on Tuesday. It was first proposed a month ago in the Florida House of Representatives, where it received a favorable vote from its Education Committee.
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