‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Headed for Another State

Controversial legislation banning the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in schools is poised to come into effect in Louisiana, two years after similar legislation was passed in Florida.

A state law in Florida, called the Parental Rights in Education Act but known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in March 2022.

The law, which sparked criticism and protests, initially banned public school students in kindergarten through to the third grade from being instructed on sexual orientation and gender identity. Last year it was expanded to all grades.

On Thursday, the Louisiana Senate passed a similar bill by a 28-7 margin. It had previously been passed by the House 69-28.

The bill, House Bill 122, which was passed by all Republicans and two Democratic votes, would “prohibit teachers and others from discussing their sexual orientation or gender identity with students” in all grades.

It also bans employees from discussing these topics beyond the classroom, like in extracurricular, athletic or other social clubs and follows Republican Representative Dodie Horton, who introduced the bill, proposing a similar bill in 2022 that was vetoed by former Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat.

Horton said the bill would “protect” children.

In an April debate, she said, as per local reports: “We are the last line of protection for our children. This is meant to protect them from conversations that their parents are having to approve that have no part of the curriculum, has no part of the subject being taught.”

“Having sexualized personal discussions between educators and students in our classrooms are not appropriate, and they can rob our children of their innocence while imposing suggested influence over their developing young minds,” Horton also said when the bill came up in committee.

Democratic Senator Royce Duplessis warned that the bill could have “negative impacts” on “LGBTQ young people who already have mental health challenges.”

It “oppresses and stigmatizes young people who are struggling,” he said during Thursday’s debate. “I don’t think there’s a need for this bill.”

He proposed an amendment that would limit the bill to grades K-8 and allow teachers to discuss sexual orientations in certain contexts but the amendment failed.

It will now go to Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, who is expected to sign the measure into law.

Newsweek contacted Landry’s office by email outside of business hours to comment on this story.

Meanwhile, last week the Louisiana Senate passed legislation banning transgender people from school restrooms that align with their gender identities.

Next week the Senate will also discuss a bill that would ban trans and nonbinary young people from using pronouns different from the ones assigned at their birth in public schools without parental permission.

As for Florida’s law, in March civil rights attorneys and DeSantis’s office reached a settlement in an ongoing lawsuit about the legislation.

Under the terms of the settlement, students and teachers will be able to freely discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms as long as the topics are not part of instruction, according to a statement sent to Newsweek via email by attorney Roberta Kaplan’s office.