Let's Say Gay

Typically I wish to stay quiet about controversial matters because I don't possess the mental bandwidth to handle potential backlash from opposition. Today, I can stay silent about some things no longer.

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is expected soon to sign into law "The Parental Rights in Education", dubbed the "Don't Say Gay Bill". This bill would prohibit discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom for ages kindergarten through 3rd grade, as well as banning teaching “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students,” (NBC News). This broad wording paves the way for this to extend to all classroom levels.

I remember being a kid on the playground in elementary school, and seeing kids tease kids, kids tease teachers, and parents tease kids about "so-and-so likes you" and "do you have a boyfriend/ girlfriend"? From an early age we have the idea of relationships pushed onto us, yet when those relationships aren't heterosexual it becomes a problem. The true issue at hand here, is utter homophobia and the desire to control the individualities of children. Think about it. When you were a kid and tried expressing yourself, how much did it impact you whenever your parent would say "you can't do that"? You would either repress the desire entirely, or rebel and stand up for yourself.

What happens when you are forced to hide from who you truly are inside? Results of a Cornell study found that discrimination against the lgbtqia+ was linked to suicide, substance use, and cardiovascular disease (Cornell). If parents care about the wellbeing of their children, why would they do anything that risks them to harm themselves?

We are no stranger to laws restricting what teachers can and cannot do, and parents feeling they can force even more control over that. How do you learn when everything has to be vetted by a parent's child beforehand? And how can children in already tense living situations feel safe when perhaps their only space to be safe is banned?

What the Don't Say Gay Bill does is take us back in time where it was even more mainstream to crucify those different than us. Boys liking boys, girls liking girls, girls wanting to be boys, and boys wanting to be girls has zero harm towards anyone. At the end of the day, people are going to be who they are, and the more you try and stop it, the more you will hurt them. If you really want to help, support these people in who they are. Learn about them. Get them the care that they need.

I cannot bring up the Don't Say Gay Bill without also bringing up what is going on in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott is pushing to have parents who provide gender-affirming care to their children labeled as abusers and to have those families investigated. I am unable to read that order without being sick to my stomach. How can you even dare think to rip a child from their family because they are being supported in who they are? Plus, the order bans all care, naming even surgeries as part of that. NO one is performing gender reassignment surgeries on minors. No one is. Gender-affirming care is way more than surgery. It's therapy, it's puberty blockers, and social changes. That's where most of the transformation lies. This monstrosity of an order seeks to destroy families that represent love and acceptance, and shames children for being themselves. That doesn't foster a future society of respectful, compassionate people, rather it breeds resentment and anger.

People, especially children who are lgbtqia+ face enough struggle on a daily basis. These pieces of legislation are forcing people to mentally shut down. I regularly surf TikTok and actively support my lgbtqia+ creators. There was a trans creator named Milo. I didn't know much about him until I heard he died by suicide a few days ago. He was a 30 year old advocate for the community in Lincoln, Nebraska. After learning that over 18,500 signatures were collected to keep his community from receiving discrimination protections, he wanted to step back from advocacy work. And now, he is no longer with us.

He is just one example, but there are so many other Milo's out there. According to the Trevor Project, LGBT youth are four times likely to commit suicide, with those aged 13-24 attempting every 45 seconds. These pieces of legislature seek to "protect" kids but what it really does is harm them. It is not teaching love. It is not teaching support. It is literally taking them away from us.

How you can help

• Support your lgbtqia+ friends and creators whether it's by sharing their content, donating towards their causes, or contacting your governments and denouncing these pieces of legislature

• How you can also help those in Texas is by having them visit the link below so they can have a game plan for if they get investigated.

"https://www.equalitytexas.org/resources-for-parents-of-texas-trans-youth/">https://www.equalitytexas.org/resources-for-parents-of-texas-trans-youth/

• You can also help Floridians by visiting this link below

"https://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/counselors/lgbtq-resource-page/">https://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/counselors/lgbtq-resource-page/"https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna19133">https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna19133

Sources Used

"https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/12/discrimination-impacts-health-lgbt-people-analysis-finds"

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/12/discrimination-impacts-health-lgbt-people-analysis-finds

"https://journalstar.com/news/local/lincoln-loses-voice-for-transgender-community/article_765bd288-964f-5b33-8256-7235e40da27c.html">https://journalstar.com/news/local/lincoln-loses-voice-for-transgender-community/article_765bd288-964f-5b33-8256-7235e40da27c.html

"https://www.thetrevorproject.org/research-briefs/estimate-of-how-often-lgbtq-youth-attempt-suicide-in-the-u-s/