In the Spring of 2022, the passing of the “Florida Parental Rights in Education Act,” aka the Don’t Say Gay Act, raised questions across the country.
The act states that all students, kindergarten through third grade, may not participate in classroom instruction about gender or sexual orientation.
Earlier this month, a Missouri state senator took the Florida law a step further. SB 134 proposes that all minors, kindergarten through twelfth grade, could not receive this education unless it is with a professional mental healthcare worker. The bill contains other elements including teachers being required to inform parents of a child’s gender identity if that “student expresses confusion about their gender identity or requests to use personal pronouns that differ from their sex.” This is, of course, with a parent's consent.
This raises the question, how will this impact people both in the respective states and elsewhere? The Wright Times News staff had the opportunity to discuss the law with a few students in a Wright College Humanities 144 - Intro to Women and Gender Studies class.
When asked about how this will impact communities in Florida and Missouri, first-year Wright student Sam Ritter had some of their own concerns. Ritter explained that she thinks this will be “psychologically damaging to both heterosexual and homosexual communities.”
First-year Wright student Crystal Ramirez added “it’s a silly thing, the law. The push to not allow people to talk about their home and personal life could be damaging to everyone.”
Second-year Wright student Vivian Karwatowicz explained that she believes “kids need to be familiarized with sexual orientation.” Karwatowicz added, “the more we conceal things the less children and society will grow.”
Wright students with family and friends in these two states have their own personal concerns over loved ones. First-year Wright Student Ella Polec explained that having family in Florida and Missouri right now is extremely stressful. Polec explains that “the bills being passed will cause family members, especially younger cousins to grow up with cultural gaps.”
Dr. Patricia Renda, professor of the humanities 144 class, said “it is hugely important to teach” further by explaining that “feminism and discussion of genders need to be taught.”
Students everywhere should feel safe discussing topics regarding LGBTQ issues. The Trevor Project has a 24/7 hotline for LGBTQ youth in crisis at 1-866-488-7386.
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