Florida wants to ban sexual orientation classes altogether. The arch-conservative governor Ron DeSantis is thus pursuing his sharp right course – and possibly another goal.
Tallahassee — Ron DeSantis, Florida’s arch-conservative governor, is considered the rising star of the Republican party — and may be serious competition for his former supporter, ex-US President Donald Trump. It’s not yet officially clear whether DeSantis will throw his hat in the ring in the 2024 presidential election, but political observers assume so. At the midterms last November, the 44-year-old was confirmed in office with a landslide victory. Now he is pursuing his sharp right-wing course and wants to completely ban sexual orientation classes in the US state of Florida. The ban already applies to elementary school students.
New law in Florida: “Don’t say gay” regulation should apply to all age groups
The ban on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity has been in effect for kindergarten children and elementary school students since last year, and now Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants to extend the directive to all age groups. Only if it is “expressly required” by the state’s educational regulations – or is part of an optional sex education or other health course, should such a course be possible in the future, it said in a corresponding regulation. Several media reported this week that the corresponding initiative should be voted on by the state education council on April 19. Parliament does not have to agree to the extension of the “Don’t say gay” rule.
The law could have serious consequences: A survey by the Trevor Project indicates thisfound that LGBTQ+ youth who perceived their school as LGBTQ+ affirmative were less likely to attempt suicide. Researchers from Yale University examined in a Study the effect of bullying on suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth. When DeSantis signed legislation banning LGBTQ+ education for elementary school students last year, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged his support to the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the U.S. “Our LGBTQI+ youth deserve, affirmed and accepted become as they are,” Biden wrote on Twitter at the time.
Criticism comes from LGBTQ+ activists – and the White House press secretary
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre called the move “completely wrong” on Wednesday. But Florida is not alone in pushing for new legal restrictions on LGBTQ+ issues. The White House spokeswoman said the regulations are “part of a disturbing and dangerous trend” of anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans laws across the country. According to media reports, a similar law was also passed in the state of Oklahoma on Tuesday by a chamber of parliament that would ban teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through fifth grade if it came into force.
The Florida governor’s move drew criticism not only from Washington, but also from LGBTQ+ activists. “That was the goal from the beginning: general censorship and the banning of books,” according to the organization Equality Florida. According to the organization, DeSantis wants to “feed his presidential ambitions” with his push against the LGBTQ+ community. Should DeSantis run as a candidate in the presidential election, he would first have to assert himself against former President Trump in the party primaries, in which case he should have a good chance. Most recently, DeSantis had intensified his rhetorical swipes against Trump. A report that Washington Post According to DeSantis, it is said that he has already hinted at his candidacy for the presidency in private circles (AFP/dpa/bme).