One day after @GovRonDeSantis’ office said that quiet part out loud, that they believe the existence of LGBTQ people to be a threat to children, the Florida Senate rejected reasonable amendments to this legislation and refused to mitigate its harm. (1/4)
Even as thousands of students walked out of class in protest & hundreds lined the halls of the Capitol to demand lawmakers address the damage being done by this bill, the Senate doubled down on the Governor’s political agenda and the anti-LGBTQ extremism at the heart of it. (2/4)
Now Senators face a final choice: will they vote with LGBTQ students and their families or will they side with angry mobs hurling anti-LGBTQ slurs at those asking for nothing more than a safe place to go to school without having to hide who they are? (3/4)
We’re prepared, should the Don’t Say Gay bill endanger a singe child, silence a single teacher, or negatively impact a single family, to join legal action against the State of Florida to challenge this hateful legislation.
Let us be clear: should the vague language of this bill be interpreted in any way that causes harm to a single child, teacher, or family, we will lead legal action against the State of Florida to challenge this bigoted legislation.
We will not allow the governor’s office to call us pedophiles. We will not allow this bill to harm LGBTQ Floridians. We will not permit any school to enforce this in a way that endangers the safety of children. We stand ready to fight for Floridians in court & hold lawmakers...
who supported this bill accountable at the ballot box.
At every turn, the legislature rejected reasonable amendments to this legislation and refused to mitigate its harm. Now, in deference to the extreme political agenda of @GovRonDeSantis , the Senate has passed the hateful...
The Don't Say Gay bill is on the Senate floor for its final vote in the legislative process this morning. If passed, it will go to the governor's desk.
We'll keep you posted here. Or you can tune in live. And no matter what happens -- our fight continues. thefloridachannel.org
Sen. @TinaPolsky : It's clear that this bill has caused a lot of angst and fear in the LGBTQ community...because it sends a message that they don't matter or should feel shame.
Sen. @TinaPolsky : Do we really think that teachers are engineering kids to be gay? It is preposterous...If you look in your hearts, do you really think we're doing something to help Floridians here?
. @SenJanetCruz files an amendment to protect safe spaces for LGBTQ students.
It fails.
Sen. @FarmerForFLSen files an amendment to eliminate the "Don't Say Gay" provision in the bill, removing the line targeting "sexual orientation and gender identity".
Sen. @dennisbaxley says that's the most important part of the bill.
Ahead of today's Senate floor debate on the Don't Say Gay bill, students and faith leaders from across Florida are rallying on the Capitol steps with LGBTQ lawmakers.
Today is the day for cooler legislative heads to prevail. Today is the day to put a stop to Don't Say Gay.
Students and faith leaders have now made their way inside the Capitol, just outside the room where Florida's State Senate has convened.
Rep. @CarlosGSmith with a message for LGBTQ youth: "We will get up, stand up, wake up every single day to fight for you because your lives matter." ❤️
Tallahassee-area students walked out and headed to the Capitol with a message: "We say gay." ❤️ #DSGWalkout
Thousands of students across the state are refusing to watch their classmates (or themselves!) be erased by the legislature. They're demanding an end to #DontSayGay .
‼️ The Don’t Say Gay bull is up in its final hearing today. Senate Appropriations. We are on the ground with dozens of Floridians ready to share their stories.
We will keep you updated here. And you can watch live. Hearing begins at 10:30a.