NEWS & EVENTS | NOTICIAS Y EVENTOS

Today, Florida Governor DeSantis signed into law the House 1557 “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which bans public school districts from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade, or “in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students”—language that critics say could extend the ban to higher grade levels    

Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida (UC|CU) is extremely disappointed by the passage of the so called “Parental Rights in Education” bill due to its discriminatory language directly targeting and endangering the lives of all LGBTQI+ youth.     

Here are key passages in the bill:  
Instruction on gender and sexuality would be constrained in all grades.
Schools would be required to notify parents when children receive mental, emotional or physical health services, unless educators believe there is a risk of “abuse, abandonment, or neglect.”
  Parents would have the right to opt their children out of counseling and health services.
  Parents could sue schools for violating the vaguely written bill, and districts would have to cover the costs.
  Florida would rewrite school counseling standards.

Our collective anger and disappointment must now be focused on doing, what legislators and the Governor wont – Show all of our youth that they are LOVED. Show them they MATTER. Tell them they are not a MISTAKE. Tell them they are NOT ALONE. Offer them the tools and support to be GREAT, PROUD ADULTS.    

If you’re a parent or an ally, an educator or a self-actualized LGBTQ+ adult seeing this, today is the day for you to tell the young LGBTQI+ people in your lives that you see them, and they have value.    

More than 200 anti-LGBTQ+ bills, many specifically targeting trans youth, have been introduced this year alone. Fighting these bills is going to be a marathon effort requiring all of us — like-minded individuals and organizations — to stand together and persevere in the face of adversity.      

Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida will continue to stand with the thousands of organizations, teachers unions, allies and parents across the U.S. uniting in solidarity for LGBTQ+ youth in the best way we know how: Telling our stories, sharing our rainbow history, celebrating our pride, and show relentless our support for all of our youth and educators, trying to do the right thing.    

HELP US TO HELP OUR YOUTH, through our programming, resources, and initiatives to STOP HATE EVERYWHERE. Please consider a donation to UC|CU.