Protesters gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol in March in Tallahassee, Florida, protesting what opponents call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
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The bill’s language is broad and consequential
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Protesters gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol in March in Tallahassee, Florida, protesting what opponents call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
House Republicans have introduced legislation that some critics are describing as a national “Don’t Say Gay” bill – inspired by Florida’s controversial law banning instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade.
If the federal bill becomes law, which is unlikely in the current Congress, its effects could be much more far-reaching, affecting not just teaching in schools but also events and literature at any federally funded institution.
Here’s what’s in the bill – and what people are saying about it.
The measure was introduced Tuesday by Representative Mike Johnson, R-La., and co-sponsored by 32 other Republicans.
“The Democratic Party and its cultural allies are on a misguided crusade to immerse young children in sexual imagery and radical gender ideology,” Johnson said in a statement, calling the project “common sense.”
The bill follows GOP-driven “parental rights” measures in Florida and elsewhere
The bill, called the “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act”, aims to “prohibit the use of federal funds to develop, implement, facilitate or finance any sexually oriented program, event or literature for children under the age of 10, and for others ends.”
The language of the proposed legislation brings together topics of sexual orientation and gender identity, with sexual content such as pornography and stripping.
It would prohibit federal funds from being used to support any “sexually oriented” programs, events, and literature; prohibit federal facilities from hosting or promoting such events or literature; and allow parents and guardians to sue governmental authorities, agencies and private entities if a child under the age of 10 is “exposed” to such materials.
The bill complains that some school districts have implemented sex education programs for children under age 10 and that “all newly implemented sex education curricula encourage discussion of sexuality, sexual orientation, transgenderism and gender ideology from kindergarten. childhood”. He also calls events like library drag queen story hours, which he describes as “sexually oriented”.
Representative Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at a press conference at the US Capitol in June. Johnson introduced legislation this week that would ban the use of federal funds for any “sexually oriented” program or literature for children under the age of 10.
The bill’s prospects are nil while Democrats control the White House and Senate
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LGBTQ groups condemn the bill and warn against its potential effects
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Representative Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at a press conference at the US Capitol in June. Johnson introduced legislation this week that would ban the use of federal funds for any “sexually oriented” program or literature for children under the age of 10.
