Simmons added, "What is truly concerning is that these anti-LGBTQ bills have been coupled with legislative proposals that forbid teaching about structural racism and slavery, and patriarchy and sexism, on the grounds that these concepts make others uncomfortable.Photo-Illustration: by Vulture Photos by Warner Bros, Kevin Kane/WireImage, K Wright/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock, Moviestore/Shutterstock and Summit Entertainmentĭuring the 2000s, pop culture’s depictions of sex tended toward goofy, as if Hollywood had been run by teenage boys with cartoon eyes popping out of their skulls and mile-long tongues hanging out of their mouths.
"This trend is the continuation of a playbook that has been brought out again and again, repeatedly targeting the most marginalized groups in our society for political gain," Brown told NPR. New York City is launching a digital billboard campaign, supporting LGBTQ visibility that will be displayed in five major markets in Florida for eight weeks, to lure Floridians unhappy with their state's "Don't Say Gay" law to the Big Apple, Adams announced.īoth Simmons and David Brown, legal director for the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, say the legislative activities taking place across the country are targeting other groups. New York Mayor Eric Adams, at podium, addresses a news conference in the rotunda of City Hall, in New York, on April 4. Ohio's HB616 has similar language used in the Florida bill.Tennessee's HB 800 bans books and instructional materials "that promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender issues or lifestyle.".In Oklahoma, a senate bill would ban books from school libraries that focus on "the study of sex, sexual lifestyles, or sexual activity.".A Missouri bill would ban "gender or sexual diversity training" in public schools.It would limit discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in some grades and prohibit it all together in others. In Louisiana, lawmakers introduced HB 837.In Iowa, a Senate proposal would require that parents opt in - in writing - to any instruction "relating to gender identity.".But it failed to get any traction this year. In neighboring Georgia, lawmakers targeted private schools - which the state can regulate.An Arizona bill aims to change the state's sex-ed curriculum to focus on biological sex and "not gender identities.".Alabama advanced a measure prohibiting early classroom instruction on sexual and gender identity.Taking Florida's lead, states began proposing their own bills. "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?" A cascade of bills have followed But talking about families is part of her curriculum, and some of her students may have two moms or two dads. Teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity isn't part of the first -grade curriculum, Stephens told NPR. It drew immediate nationwide controversy - and had teachers like Paula Stephens worried.