Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has generated plenty of buzz within the LGTBQ+ community by supporting the “Parental Rights in Education” bill (or as his lying critics call it, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), which will prevent radical gender ideology from being taught to pre-K through third grade students in the public school system. But journalists and pro-gay activist are not the only ones who have taken exception to the proposed legislation.
Women’s tennis player Coco Gauff criticized the legislation as a ploy by Republicans to prevent kids from discovering their true selves and talking about their identity -- which is not the case.
"I'm against it," Gauff said. "I think these conversations are important, and for me, who has friends in the LGBTQ+ community, I couldn't imagine not being able to talk about your identity. I feel that's something that is normal."
Gauff and her friends were talking sexual preference and gender identification when they were five or six? Because that's what the bill addresses. Gauff has completely mischaracterized the bill and what it aims to do.
Related: Teacher Suspended for Misgendering Student Says School Violated Her Constitutional Rights
HB 1557 will prevent teachers from encouraging “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Anyone with a sliver of common sense would understand this is a good thing -- children this young should not have a confusing and predatory gender ideology shoved down their throats.
Furthermore, no one within that age range should be influenced by anyone other than their parents on their identity as humans. The school is a place where kids can learn basic educational skills (math, history, reading, etc,) not a workshop where they can explore their true sexuality or identity.
And while not all gay people want to pour their ideology into the minds of young children, a great many do. It is because of the actions of a large contingent of teachers and the current rotten state of our education system that bills like this have to be put in place.
Psaki on @GovRonDesantis’s bill that prevents kindergarten to third-grade students in Florida from being taught about transgender ideology: "It is a form of bullying." pic.twitter.com/2xylGG4oi4
— MRCTV (@mrctv) March 9, 2022