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How Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ law could harm children’s mental health | Florida | The Guardian

In this article, teachers and parents express their concerns for how Florida's new "Don't say Gay" law can negatively affect LGBTQ youth, and how it can have a staggering effect on their mental health.

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tella, 10, attends a private school in Atlanta, Georgia, and explains to friends that she has four moms. Two of them are the lesbian couple that adopted her. The other two are her birth parents, one of whom recently came out as a transgender woman.

"I'm so grateful that [Stella] is somewhere that sees" the family "as what it is: her moms just love her", said Kelsey Hanley, Stella's birth mother, who lives in Kissimmee, Florida.

But Hanley, 30, worries that children who have multiple moms or dads or are LGBTQ+ themselves won't get the same acceptance in Florida.

That's because the state recently approved legislation that bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade and prohibits such lessons for older students unless they are "age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate".

Hanley and some pediatric psychologists say the law stigmatizes being gay or transgender and could harm the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth, who are already more likely to face bullying and attempt suicide than children who are cisgender and straight.

"We all have processes around clarifying who we know in our heads and hearts we are and who we are drawn to or attracted to," said Laura Anderson, a child and family psychologist in Hawaii whose focus is LGBTQ+ youth and their families. "To make an increasingly large percentage of the population's experience invisible and taboo is just so harmful and unsafe for all kids."

The Parental Rights in Education legislation, which opponents labeled the "don't say gay" bill, is part of a flurry of measures introduced by Republican lawmakers around the country. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, reports that lawmakers have introduced 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year.

The wave not only includes laws similar to Florida restricting instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation but also ones that criminalize gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth.

Emma and Kelsey Hanley with their daughter, Stella. Photograph: Courtesy Emma and Kelsey Hanley

Child psychologists say that such laws create an unsafe environment for LGBTQ+ children.

Two-thirds of LGBTQ+ youth said debates concerning the state laws have had a negative impact on their mental health, according to a poll from the Trevor Project, an intervention and suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth.

And transgender people, in particular, already often face greater psychological distress than the US general population. The National Center for Transgender Equality's 2015 US Transgender Survey found that 40% of transgender respondents had attempted suicide, which is nine times the rate of the general population.

"We have governors - that have no education or basis or expertise in child mental health - that impose such laws that are going to have horrendous impacts on kids," said Natasha Poulopoulos, a pediatric psychologist in Miami.

Supporters of the Florida law claim it's necessary because children are being exposed to "radical concepts regarding sexual orientation and gender identity".

"What's even more concerning about this is that parents are not just not being included but are being treated as the enemy here," said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, which supported the legislation in Florida and similar bills in other states. "This legislation is not only good, it's necessary to protect children and their innocence."

But groups such as the Florida Education Association, the state's teachers union, say that elementary school teachers do not teach curriculum regarding sexuality and that Republicans are just using it as a cynical political wedge issue.

Rather than protect children, the Florida law stigmatizes gender exploration, which is a normal part of child development, Poulopoulos said.

"It's healthy and normal for kids to go out of specific gender roles that have been extremely outdated. Even if a child was assigned female at birth and identifies as female, it's OK for a child to explore things that may be considered more gender stereotypical for boys," said Poulopoulos.

The legislation puts negative rhetoric "around aspects of gender identity and sexual orientation that are not heteronormative, so for example, if you are not cisgender and heterosexual, you are to be shamed", said Poulopoulos.

To prevent that shame, child psychologists say that it's important for children to see themselves and their families represented in stories.

For elementary school students, this could mean "using very simple language like: families can look diverse. Some families only have one parent. Some families have a grandparent and a mom. Some have two moms. Some have a mom and a dad," said Poulopoulos. "That simple language is by no means sexualizing children. It is simply explaining the concepts of family structure, of sexual orientation and gender identity in a very developmentally appropriate way."

A 2019 report from GLSEN, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, found that two-thirds of LGBTQ+ youth respondents had not been exposed to representations of LGBTQ+ people, history or events in lessons at school. At schools that did have an LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum, 59% of respondents said they often or frequently heard the word "gay" used in a negative way, compared with almost 80% of students at schools that did not have inclusive curriculum.

"If you are a family or a child that is figuring this stuff out about your identity and don't see yourself anywhere, in curriculum, in stories," that absence means they must "undo the harm of their child having felt othered for ever", said Anderson, the psychologist in Hawaii.

If that's something that can't be discussed in school, they are going to feel like they can't talk about it at home

Kelsey Hanley

Two LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations shared the child psychologists' concern and filed a lawsuit last week challenging the Florida law, describing it as an "unlawful attempt to stigmatize, silence and erase LGBTQ people in Florida's public schools".

A spokeswoman for DeSantis said of the lawsuit: "This calculated, politically motivated, virtue-signaling lawsuit is meritless, and we will defend the legality of parents to protect their young children from sexual content in Florida public schools."

But Hanley, the Florida mom, said the law tries to shield students from something they are going to encounter anyways. Hanley, who works in customer service, said she was attracted to women before she was attracted to men and realized she was bisexual in middle school.

"They are going to go grocery shopping, and they are going to see two women holding hands. They are going to see two men holding hands, and if that's something that can't be discussed in school, they are going to feel like they can't talk about it at home," said Hanley. "And if their parents think it's not appropriate to talk about, then their response is going to be: 'If I have to hide this part of myself, do I have to hide that I'm on substances? Do I have to hide that I have a crush on somebody?' They are not going to have any kind of openness."

Hanley also worries about what rhetoric from advocates for the Florida law - about the need to "protect our children" - will mean for children like Stella.

"Stella would think that people want to protect children from her," said Hanley. "And she would think: what do you need to protect yourself from?"

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How Florida's 'don't say gay' law could harm children's mental health

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tella, 10, attends a private school in Atlanta, Georgia, and explains to friends that she has four moms. Two of them are the lesbian couple that adopted her. The other two are her birth parents, one of whom recently came out as a transgender woman.

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Ron DeSantis signs the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill : NPR

In this article, the narrator explains what this new law means, and what this law exactly brings to the table in Florida. It also explains the opinions of Ron DeSantis himself, and those who choose to disagree and speak out against the law.

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Public school teachers in Florida are banned from holding classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity after Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the controversial "Parental Rights in Education" bill.

The bill, which some opponents have called "Don't Say Gay," was signed by DeSantis on Monday. It reads, "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

Supporters of the legislation say it's meant to allow parents to determine when and in what way to introduce LGBTQ topics to their children. It also gives parents an option to sue a school district if the policy is violated.

During a press conference ahead of signing the law, DeSantis said teaching kindergarten-aged kids that "they can be whatever they want to be" was "inappropriate" for children.

He said, "It's not something that's appropriate for any place, but especially not in Florida."

The "Don't Say Gay" moniker comes from critics of the measure who blast this idea and insist this policy will hurt LGBTQ children.

DeSantis and other supporters gathered for the bill signing called this messaging "sloganeering" and referred to efforts to educate students about LGBTQ issues as part of "woke gender ideology."

DeSantis remains defiant in the face of criticism

Studies have shown that LGBTQ youth already face higher health and suicide risks than their cisgender or straight peers. When those kids are given access to spaces that affirm their gender identity, they report lower rates of suicide attempts, according to The Trevor Project.

The Trevor Project condemned the signing of the bill saying the bill erases "LGBTQ identity, history, and culture - as well as LGBTQ students themselves."

The group also critiqued the policy's parental notification requirements. The law requires parents to be the first to be notified of any health or support services offered to their kids in school and allows them the chance to deny those services on behalf of their children.

The Trevor Project says these provisions, "appear to undermine LGBTQ support in schools and include vague parental notification requirements, which could effectively require teachers to 'out' LGBTQ students to their legal guardians without their consent, regardless of whether they are supportive."

Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project, said in a statement that, "While I am saddened to see this harmful bill signed into law, I am inspired by the outpouring of support for LGBTQ students we have seen from parents, teachers, celebrities, and their peers. Social support is vital for suicide prevention, and I want to remind LGBTQ youth in Florida and across the country that you are not alone."

Leading up to the bill's signing, critics, which include The Walt Disney Company, lambasted Florida lawmakers for the legislation.

On Monday, a spokesperson said in a statement that the company hopes the law is repealed or struck down in court.

"Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the statement read. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that."

But DeSantis was defiant in the face of critics, "I don't care what Hollywood says. I don't care what big corporations say. Here I stand. I am not backing down." The law takes effect July 1.

The legislation was also the target of jokes at Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony.

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Florida's governor signs controversial law opponents dubbed 'Don't Say Gay'

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The law says public school teachers may not instruct on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades kindergarten through third grade.

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Teachers fear the chilling effect of Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law | Northern Public Radio: WNIJ and WNIU

This article speaks out about the opinions of three teachers who instruct classes in Florida, one of these teachers being openly gay themself. All three of these teachers speak openly about how they disagree with the law and how they believe it can be mentally affecting LGBTQ youth in a negative way.

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It's a bill that's drawn nationwide controversy, dubbed by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

President Biden called it "hateful."

It was ridiculed by the hosts of this year's Academy Awards.

On Monday, it became Florida law, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill.

Now, Florida teachers are wondering how the new law will affect them and their students.

Among its controversial measures, the law forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade.

"We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination," DeSantis said at the bill signing in Spring Hill, Fla., flanked by young children at Classical Preparatory School which, as a charter school, will not be affected by the law.

Opponents of the law, DeSantis said, "support sexualizing kids in kindergarten. They support injecting woke gender ideology into second grade classrooms."

Teachers say students have other concerns

That's news to teachers such as Paula Stephens, who teaches first grade at Eisenhower Elementary School in Clearwater, Fla.

Her first-graders aren't focused on sexual orientation or gender identity. Their main concern, she says, is "Is it snack time?"

After all, Stephens says, teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity isn't part of the first-grade curriculum. But talking about families is part of her curriculum, and some of her students may have two moms or two dads.

"It makes me wonder," she says, "when I talk about families in my classroom, am I going to be violating this law because the children were having discussions about what their family looks like?"

The law's sponsors say that's not the intent. But Stephens fears the law's language is so vague that it will have a chilling effect, and she worries about what other topics might become a target.

"What's next?" she asks. "If they're going after this conversation now, where does this stop? ... I'm very fearful that this law is going to just open it up for a lot more things to start being discriminated against."

Some teachers view the law as 'a blatant attack on education'

Beyond kindergarten through third grade, the Florida law also says that any instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity, in any grade, has to be "age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate in accordance with state standards."

Opponents say the law will effectively muzzle any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity, out of fear. Under the law, parents can sue the school district if they believe the school is in violation.

"Honestly, I feel like it's just a blatant attack on education," says Jorje Botello, who has taught eighth grade American history for 19 years at Osceola Middle School in rural Okeechobee, Fla. "A lot of these bills are written by people that have never set foot in a public education classroom."

Under the new law, he wonders, will it be considered age-appropriate to tell his students that the Revolutionary War hero, the Prussian General Friedrich Wilhelm Von Steuben, is widely believed to have been openly gay?

"When you look back in history," Botello says, "there's clear examples of how these different groups that are being attacked today actually helped form our country. ... They're a part of our story."

Botello believes lessons like these can empower LGBTQ students, weaving them into America's history. As a Mexican-American, he says, he knows how important that kind of representation is; growing up, he didn't see himself in the history books.

Looking ahead to teaching under the new law, Botello says he'll be more cautious.

"I know that I have to think a little harder when I navigate [these subjects] next year, now that this bill is gonna be in effect," he says.

If the climate becomes too restrictive, Botello says, he might have to consider retiring.

"If I feel like I'm gonna be watched by Big Brother all the time," he says, "like, what's the point?"

Some teachers say their role is to help students feel OK with who they are

For Clinton McCracken, who has taught art for 21 years at Howard Middle School Academy of Arts in Orlando, this law feels like a hateful, personal attack.

As a gay man, he says, it tells him and his LGBTQ students that there's something "inappropriate" about them: that their identity is taboo, or somehow dirty.

McCracken points to a 2021 survey from the Trevor Project, a nonprofit suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, which found that 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

"I can tell you as someone who grew up as a gay boy, how real that statistic is," he says, "and how dangerous it is that these Republican legislators are playing with the safety of our vulnerable youth."

McCracken is appalled when he hears DeSantis claim that schools are, in the governor's words, "sexualizing" kids and "injecting transgenderism" into the classroom.

"This is a created culture war from him so that he can achieve his political ambitions. That's all this is," McCracken says. "So yeah, I'm not teaching kids how to be gay in my classroom, but I'll tell you what I am doing. I am trying with all my power to teach kids to be OK with who they are."

McCracken says the teachers he's talked with say the new law won't silence them.

"They're going to teach just like they were teaching and they're going to provide safe spaces in their classrooms just like they have been," he says.

If that means parents sue their school districts, he says, then so be it: "It's the right thing to do."

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Teachers fear the chilling effect of Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law

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It's a bill that's drawn nationwide controversy, dubbed by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. President Biden called it "hateful." It was ridiculed by the hosts of this year's Academy Awards. On Monday, it became Florida law, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill.