Sign my petition: Stop DeSantis and Republicans' dangerous attacks on our communities!
Dear MoveOn member,
I'm Jack, a queer student in Florida, and, on Thursday, I was indefinitely suspended from my high school after planning and leading a preapproved rally in opposition to the homophobic, transphobic, and discriminatory "Don't Say Gay" bill being pushed by Governor DeSantis and Florida Republicans. This horrifying bill is being fast-tracked by Republicans in the Florida Legislature, and is a direct, anti-LGBTQ+ attack that will prevent teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ issues or people and will undermine existing protections for LGBTQ+ kids like me in schools, a place where I am supposed to feel safe to learn.1
I may have been suspended, but I will not be silenced. I am proud of who I am. I am proud that over 500 students from my school joined thousands of other concerned youth across the state to show the same politicians who are targeting us and peddling bigotry that we will not be erased.
The truth is that Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans are running a full-court press to attack our most vulnerable communities this legislative session. Time is running out: The bill has passed in the House, and there will be a final vote in the Senate this Monday or Tuesday. And it's not just Florida: Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country have introduced over 100 anti-LGBTQ+ bills, most of which especially target trans and nonbinary youth.2 So we must rise up to push back against these dangerous attacks.
John, there is absolutely no time to waste. LGBTQ+ youth like me are counting on you to rise up and fight back.
Florida Republicans have not held back while pushing this bill. So I was horrified, angered, and concerned when I heard that the original sponsor of the "Don't Say Gay" bill—Representative Joe Harding—deliberately put LGBTQ+ youth in harm's way by adding an amendment to the bill that would force teachers to out LGBTQ+ students to their parents, even if it would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.3 After public outcry and pressure, the amendment was withdrawn.4 So that shows us that our collective voices are making a difference.
Although my school administration initially approved the rally I led and planned, their demeanor and tone drastically shifted as the rally progressed. Administrators began confiscating pride flags and attempted to remove them from campus. Then I was suspended. This is only the beginning. If this "Don't Say Gay" bill passes in the Senate on Monday or Tuesday, things will get much worse for LGBTQ+ youth like me.
Bills like this cause further, immeasurable harm to communities that already face harassment, discrimination, and attacks like these day after day for simply existing. These bills are attempts at erasing us, stigmatizing us, and isolating us, and they would continue to push LGBTQ+ youth even further to the margins. It's heartbreaking and hits way too close to home for me and so many others.
I am proud of who I am, and I am proud of all of those protesting these regressive bills. We must let our politicians know that no matter how hard they try, they cannot suppress our identities, silence our voices, and erase our communities. Gen Z and young people will not sit idly by as our rights are stripped from us. Will you join us?
These attacks are happening everywhere, so it's critical that people across the country know of the lengths Governor DeSantis and Republicans are willing to go in order to curb free speech, propagandize school curriculums, and police us in classrooms, private workplaces, and doctors' offices. DeSantis and Republicans are willing to inflict harm on the most vulnerable in our state in order to shore up their extremist base. The "Don't Say Gay" bill and other classroom censorship legislation will disproportionately impact Black communities, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ folks. It's unacceptable. Together, we can stop DeSantis and Republicans' dangerous agenda by fighting back against white supremacy, homophobia, and transphobia.
Thanks!
–Jack Petocz, GenZ for Change
Sources:
1. "Florida politicians behind 'Don't Say Gay' bill backed by corporations that claim to support LGBTQ rights," Popular Information, February 17, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/160991?t=14&akid=318326%2E40999114%2EMIqHkm
2. "LEGISLATION AFFECTING LGBTQ RIGHTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY," ACLU, accessed February 24, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/160992?t=16&akid=318326%2E40999114%2EMIqHkm
3. "Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Bill Would See Schools Out Students to Parents," Newsweek, February 21, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/160993?t=18&akid=318326%2E40999114%2EMIqHkm
4. "Amendment that could out LGBTQ students withdrawn from Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill," ABC Action News, February 22, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/160994?t=20&akid=318326%2E40999114%2EMIqHkm
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