To hear Republican officials tell it, what critics have called Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill simply gives parents more control over their children’s classroom instruction, or it prevents young children from learning about sex, or it stops LGBT+ teachers from “grooming” their students.
To those officials, the “Parental Rights in Education Act” does not discriminate against LGBT+ people – what Governor Ron DeSantis calls a “fraudulent” narrative promoted by advocacy groups and the media to promote “woke gender ideology” – it merely forbids schools from forcing young children to learn about LGBT+ sex and gender transition. They argue it’s a straightforward, reasonable measure while characterising its opponents as child predators.
