Why Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ Law Puts LGBTQ+ Mental Health at Risk
On March 28, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed into law a bill that mental health professionals and advocates say will greatly harm LGBTQ+ communities.The Florida state legislation, titled CS/CS/HB 1557: Parental Rights in Education (commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill), prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels.It also requires school districts to notify parents of healthcare services for their children. This means the law could require teachers to “out” their queer and trans students to their legal guardians — something that may put children in danger if their family doesn’t accept them, according to a statement by the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on LGBTQ+ suicide prevention. (Survey data from the Trevor Project published in February showed…