On Wednesday, a Republican-controlled House committee narrowly approved an anti-LGBTQ+ measure called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Louisiana. The legislation seeks to prohibit K-12 public school staff from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity, including during any extracurricular activity. The bill has now advanced to the full House, where it is expected to generate an emotionally charged debate over the culture war measure.
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill has been referred to as a piece of legislation that would erase queer youth. During the hearing, Maxwell Cohen, a 27-year-old transgender person, pleaded with lawmakers to acknowledge queer kids and protect them for who they are, emphasizing that they matter. Cohen argued that the legislation tells queer kids that they must hide, that they don’t matter, and that they are wrong. Cohen’s testimony speaks to a larger trend of legislation being passed across conservative states targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
Last year, Florida became the first state to pass a similar law banning instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The policy has since been expanded to include all grades, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. Since then, conservative lawmakers in 16 states have filed at least 30 proposals similar to Florida’s law. Three other states, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky, have enacted similar “Don’t Say Gay” laws.
Republicans argue that parents should discuss these subjects with their children on their own, while Democrats say the law demonizes and isolates LGBTQ+ people by excluding them from classroom lessons. They also argue that it creates a chilling effect on teachers who fear being penalized for mentioning anything related to homosexuality.
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Louisiana would also require teachers to use the pronouns that align with a student’s birth sex. A similar bill, which would require school employees to use pronouns and the name of a student that correlates with their birth certificate, also advanced out of the committee Wednesday. Both pieces of legislation have an exception if the student’s parent provides written permission to do otherwise.
Opponents who spoke against the bill for nearly three hours cited that LGBTQ+ students are already at high risk of bullying and depression, and that the bill could send vulnerable members of the queer community spiraling further into depression and anxiety. The Louisiana Trans Advocates group has voiced their concerns, stressing the importance of being able to confide in and talk to teachers about gender identity and sexual orientation.
In conclusion, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Louisiana is part of a larger trend of legislation being passed across the country targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect all children, while opponents argue that it is harmful and isolating for queer youth. The debate is expected to continue as the bill heads to the full House for consideration.