Target: Joe Harding, Member of the Florida House of Representatives
Goal: Hold Joe Harding responsible for proposing the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that was passed in Florida.
The discussion of sexuality, gender identity, and LGBTQ+ issues has been banned in Florida thanks to the Parental Rights in Education Bill, now known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The age range of students this bill applies to is kindergarten to seventh grade. No discussion on sexuality or gender will be allowed in classrooms. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joe Harding, states that the ban is meant to give parents more control over what their students are learning and how they are raised, also mentioning that sexuality and gender issues are just not “age-appropriate.”
It is difficult to think of the many students who will grow up not knowing about sexuality and gender, especially if they are a part of this community being erased. Students will not get the chance to understand or learn about LGBTQ+ history, which can create an unsafe environment when conversations surrounding people’s identities are banned. It can possibly make kids believe that these topics are bad because they are not meant to be talked about.
Many people are against the bill, including Equality Florida’s Public Policy Director, John Harris Mauer, and Chasten Buttigieg, who is the husband of former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Chasten Buttigieg called out the Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, for making the state “a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in.” It is rightfully so that people are opposing the “Don’t Say Gay” bill because of how difficult it may make life for children that are a part of the community. It prevents important discussions from being had in school which is a place to learn and educate our youth.
Sign below and hold Joe Harding responsible for his role in this harmful endeavor.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Joe Harding,
The “Parental Rights in Education” bill threatens young LGBTQ+ individuals and completely erases the history of an entire group of people. It perpetrates hate and bigotry. You must think of the children that will be impacted negatively.
The idea of completely banning discussions in a classroom seems like the opposite of what school is meant to represent. Schools are meant for education and by banning LGBTQ+ discussions you are taking away the opportunity for children to learn about something. That is unacceptable. Many people are opposed and have spoken out and for good reason. We urge you to look at why people are opposed to this bill.
Use your platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ youth and keep them safe in the state of Florida.
Photo Credit: Benson Kua
What’s wrong with teaching them maths,geography,history,algebra,biology etc… You could also learn them about how a transgender’male’to a ‘woman’that enters a ‘female’ sport is cheating when they come first in a competition or when a transgender’male’to female can use female bathrooms & end up assaulting a REAL FEMALE …Let them learn life by living life instead of ramming this down their throats.
Oh look. Another tranphobic pos.
Funny. It is gay and transgender who are being assaulted and killed by right wing trash.