A professional women’s soccer team in central Florida has won praise for wearing “GAY” t-shirts in protest of a new anti-LGBT+ law in the state.
Orlando Pride players wore the t-shirts on Monday before Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed an anti-LGBT+ bill into effect, igniting protests across Florida and beyond.
Footage of the National Women’s Soccer League side protest was widely shared on Twitter, with NBC senior executive Mike Sington writing: “Love this.”
He added: “The Orlando Pride National Women’s Soccer League Team makes a silent protest against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.”
Another Twitter user argued: “I’m thinkin’ Ron DeSantis may be coming to the realisation that signing that bill is having the opposite effect of the one he wanted. It’s promoting conversations and support for gay rights. So, maybe a good thing unintentionally.”
Mr DeSantis’ bill is referred to by critics as the “Dont Say Gay” bill because it forbids schools from teaching younger children about LGBT+ issues, including sexuality and identity.
Critics and LGBT+ campaigners argue the Florida bill also also makes it harder to have conversations about LGBT+ issues with students beyond third grade, or the age of nine, however. As does the bill marginalise LGBT+ students and individuals, according to its detractors.
Schools in Florida have seen walk-outs by students with chants of “We say gay”, and the law has been widely condemned by Democrats, public figures and Florida businesses – including Disney.
The legislation is among dozens of laws and bills introduced by Republicans at the state level across the United States targeting LGBT+ youth in the past year.
In particular, transgender children, who have been banned from taking part in school sports in a handful of states. That is despite transgender children being a small minority among students.
The Orlando Pride, who are one of 12 teams playing in the National Women’s Soccer League, re-shared a statement issued last month about the “Dont Say Gay” bill in which it committed itself to supporting Floridia’s LGBT+ community on Monday.
It also tweeted: “Today, our hearts are heavy. To the LGBTQIA+ communities - You are loved and you will not be erased. Orlando Pride and Orlando City SC matches will always be a safe, inclusive space for you to be welcomed and celebrated for exactly who you are”.
