This week, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to address the anti-LGBTQ bills by mandating federal health agencies to expand access to gender-affirming care and federal education agencies to promote LGBTQ-inclusive learning at public schools. The Alliance Defending Freedom, the group pushing many of the state house bills, declined to comment. Ron Desantis, R-Florida signing the so-called ‘Don’t Day Gay’ law, which prohibits teachers from mentioning sexuality and gender from kindergarten through third grade. Those measures have sought to ban books, transgender athletes, and certain discussion topics in classrooms.
This year, more than 300 bills classified as anti-LGBTQ by the American Civil Liberties Union have been proposed in state legislatures.
Across the county teachers, students, parents, and politicians are wrestling with questions over the curricula: Does a teacher mentioning a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity somehow harm students, or does it provide an inclusive and well-rounded education?
