Florida Senate Democrats participated in a demonstration on Monday in which they repeatedly shouted "Gay!" while walking through the state's capitol building in protest of Florida Republicans' Parental Rights in Education bill.
The bill, referred to by critics as the "Don't Say, Gay" bill despite there being no mention in the legislation of a ban on saying the word "gay," would bar educators from discussing gender identity and sexuality with children in kindergarten through third grade and would limit age-inappropriate discussions of sexuality in other grades.
The legislation would also allow parents to access their children's education and health records and require schools to notify parents of changes to their child's mental, physical or emotional well-being. The bill would exempt schools from disclosing information to parents if a "reasonably prudent person" would be concerned that doing so could result in abuse, abandonment or neglect.
But three of Florida's Senate Democrats, seeing the legislation as the "Don't Say, Gay" bill, walked around the state capitol shouting "Gay! Gay! Gay! My daughter's gay" as fellow critics of the bill cheered and waved signs in support of LGBTQ+ rights.
We’ve got one thing to say to our GOP colleagues — GAY! pic.twitter.com/AiXzW0chUq
— Florida Senate Democrats (@FLSenateDems) March 7, 2022
One man in a rainbow-striped unitard could be seen holding a sign that read, "GOP Will Not Marginalize Me." Another protester's sign read, "Let's Get One Thing Straight, I'm Not."
The legislation passed the Florida state House last month and will soon be voted on in the state Senate.