JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of people converged on the Duval County Courthouse on Saturday to oppose a bill that would prohibit discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
It was part of multiple “Don’t Say Gay” protests -- many of which were led by high school students -- that happened across Florida this week. Right now, protesters of the “Don’t Say Gay” House bill said the lives of students are at risk.
There were a lot of students at Saturday’s protest in Jacksonville as well. They chanted, “We say gay!” in front of the courthouse, and many of them expressed how harmful they think this bill could be if it’s passed.
Part of House Bill 1557 would not allow school districts to encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels.
READ: Florida House Bill 1557
Protesters say this isolates and stigmatizes the existence of people in the LGBTQIA community.
Alexander Romero said having awareness of the LGBTQ community at that age would’ve changed things for him.
“I was having these feelings, because I’m trans myself, I was having these feelings before I even had words for them,” Romero said. “Me having the language as a kid to have known what trans even meant would’ve been the world to me. I would have transitioned earlier, I would’ve been happier earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go through depression.”
The bill would also let parents sue the district if rules are violated. For instance, it says it would prohibit school district personnel from discouraging or prohibiting parental notification and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student’s mental, emotional or physical well-being.
One student who organized a walkout at their school this week said teachers outing students is dangerous and takes away what could be a safe space for kids.
“When I was in school and when I was in the closet, school was my escape from my family,” Kate Scarbrough said. “School was where I could be myself without living in fear of being found out and shunned by the people I care about. This bill seeks to take that away from kids.”
The speakers encouraged people who oppose this bill to call their senators this weekend and speak up.
Some of the people there said they plan to go to Tallahassee on Monday for a special hearing on the bill.