The Parental Rights in Education Bill, rightfully nicknamed the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, continues to pass through Florida committees even gaining approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis. As much as it gains support from conservatives, it receives a wide amount of backlash from progressives and even the White House.

Just hearing the name of the bill, on the fact alone that it has been deemed “don’t say gay” is terrifying. From the wording of the bill, it is silencing the voices of young children in the LGBTQ+ community. It is scaring many of them back into the closet.

This bill discourages any discussion of sexual orientation or gender in the classroom. This also affects student support like guidance offices. The guidance officials can out a child to their parents because this bill believes it is a parents’ right to know everything about their child. It “reinforce[s] the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.”

It is a blatant attack on this community. They aren’t even trying to hide their homophobia.

“Parents’ rights” is not a reason to put a vulnerable child in a worse position. Guidance offices are some of the only safe places a child might have. Guidance counselors have become outlets for these students. Schools have become an escape, only for the government to come in and take it all away in the name of “protection.”

Protection? Protection from what? Themselves? Taking away a viable resource from some students that they thought was a safe space because the child might be outed? That is not protection. It is discrimination. A direct violation of one’s rights. What happened to the Equal Rights Protection Act? What happened to simple civil rights? A right of privacy?

Discussions about the LGBTQ+ community should be had and openly talked about. It’s normal. Children have two moms. Children have two dads. Little kids understand that. Many aren’t confused about that stuff like some adults “fear.” Kids will just go “okay” and continue on with their lives, while it’s the adults that continue on and on about it.

Gay people exist just as much as straight people do. It shouldn’t be taboo to talk about it. What’s so abnormal about two people who love each other? They deserve the right to be respected in all environments, especially in schools.

Don’t take away that right for someone else.