In addition to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, 15 other bills are under consideration in eight states that would limit speech about LGBTQ identities in classrooms, according to PEN American, a nonprofit group that advocates for free speech. Michael Grieco, a Democrat, told fellow legislators, 'Anybody who says that this bill is only about kindergarten through third grade is either mistaken or flat-out lying.' Harding has repeatedly stressed that the bill would not prohibit students from talking about their LGBTQ families or bar classroom discussions about LGBTQ history, including events like the 2016 attack on the Pulse nightclub, a gay club in Orlando. 'It’s actually providing boundaries, and it’s fair to our teachers and our school districts to know what we expect.' 'Creating boundaries at an early age of what is appropriate in our schools, when we are funding our schools, is not hate,' Harding said. Joe Harding listens during a legislative session on Jan. Joe Harding, the Republican who introduced the bill, said the measure is about 'empowering parents' and improving the quality of life for the state's children.
Speaking to legislators on the House floor, Rep. Thursday’s 69-47 vote comes after weeks of national outrage over the measure, which has grabbed the attention of international newspapers, Hollywood actors and the White House.
