Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys recently reached a settlement that provides clarity on the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state’s classrooms. This settlement follows the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibited formal instruction on these topics in early grades. The resolution aims to …
Read More »Disney Sues DeSantis Over His ‘targeted campaign of retaliation’ Against Company
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix The Walt Disney Co. asked a federal court Wednesday to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “targeted campaign of government retaliation” against the company, alleging violations of multiple constitutional rights because it spoke out against the governor’s position on LGBTQ rights. “A targeted campaign of government retaliation — …
Read More »Ex-Florida Lawmaker Behind ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law pleads guilty to Fraud Charges
Joseph Harding, the former Florida representative who resigned in December after he was indicted on federal fraud charges, has taken a plea deal from the U.S. Justice Department. On Tuesday, Harding, who represented part of Marion County in the Florida House of Representatives, entered guilty pleas to one count of …
Read More »Florida GOP Lawmakers Look To Expand ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix As the 2023 legislative session looms, GOP lawmakers are looking to expand the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida that earned national notoriety last year and restrict the use of “pronouns” for students and school employees. The LGBTQ community and civil rights advocates have …
Read More »Joe Harding Has Resigned But The Effects Of His ‘parental rights’ Law Will Carry On
Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix The Florida House of Representatives is down a member following the resignation of former Rep. Joe Harding following his federal indictment. Harding sponsored the “Parental Rights in Education” or “Don’t Say Gay” bill from the 2022 session that became law in July. But the effects …
Read More »GOP Florida Lawmaker Behind ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Charged with Covid Relief Fraud
The Republican state lawmaker behind legislation that’s pushed some LGBTQ+ teachers in Florida to leave education is facing federal charges for allegedly defrauding a federal program meant to provide aid for small businesses of his during the Covid-19 pandemic. State Rep. Joseph Harding was indicted by a grand jury and …
Read More »House Republicans Introduce Federal ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
GOP Rep Mike Johnson of Louisiana has introduced a bill that critics are calling a federal “don’t say gay” bill that prohibits federal funding for any “sexually-oriented” event or material for children under the age of 10. The bill, dubbed the “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act of 2022” was co-sponsored …
Read More »Progressives Warn of Federal ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law If GOP Wins Midterms
Julia Conley, Common Dreams In addition to a nationwide abortion ban, the extension of tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, and the shredding of the social safety net through cuts to Medicare and Social Security, progressives this week are warning of another consequence of a potential takeover of Congress by the …
Read More »Biden Directs Federal Agencies To Protect LGBTQI+ Rights Under Attack In GOP-Led States
President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday aiming to curtail conversion therapy, expand health care access and promote safe learning for LGBTQI+ people. The order is meant to counter laws in Republican-led states that restrict the rights of LGBTQI+ kids and their families. A senior administration official referenced Texas …
Read More »Florida Republicans Vote To Strip Disney Of Special District Status
Florida‘s Republican lawmakers have passed a bill to strip a special district status that Walt Disney World has been allowed to operate on its properties in the state for more than five decades. Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed for the bill to be taken up during a special session after …
Read More »‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bills Aren’t New. They’ve Just Been Revived.
Kate Sosin Originally published by The 19th Earlier this month, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law House Bill 322, colloquially dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, restricting public school teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ history or people in public elementary schools. It stood out for two reasons: Alabama was just …
Read More »DeSantis Moves To End Disney’s Self-Governing Status In Florida
On Tuesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that state lawmakers will consider stripping Disney of its self-governing power during a special session originally called to work specifically on congressional redistricting. “They also will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968 and that …
Read More »Florida LGBTQ Students,Parents Sue State Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
by Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix March 31, 2022 Statewide LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Ron DeSantis, state education officials, and others over a new law aiming to limit conversations about LGBTQ people in classrooms. The lawsuit arrived in the U.S. District Court …
Read More »Florida Gov. DeSantis Signs Controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Into Law
On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill — also dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill – into law. The bill prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms and also bars teaching those topics in other classrooms in …
Read More »Florida Lawmakers Pass “Don’t Say Gay” Bill; Sends To Gov. DeSantis
The state senate in Florida has passed the controversial ‘Parental Rights in Education’ bill (House Bill 1557), which critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The legislation passed by a 22-17 vote, along party lines, with the Republican majority voting in favor of it, except for two Republicans, Jeff …
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