Ohio dont say gay
GOP lawmakers introduce version of 'Don't Say Gay' bill in Ohio
Ohio Republicans introduced a House bill on Monday prohibiting "divisive or inherently racist" curriculum and banning instruction that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The proposal is now facing backlash from local LGBTQ advocates.
The bill combines language from Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" law, and legislation that seeks to limit education on race proposed by Republicans in some states.
The bill states that "curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity" would be banned in classrooms starting from kindergarten through third grade.
In grades four through twelve, such order would be banned if presented in "any behavior that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards," the bill reads.
It is unclear how age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate-ness is defined and applied.
Opponents of restricting LGBTQ content have been vocal with their outcries after Florida passed its
Ohio House Passes Multiple Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills; Human Rights Campaign Condemns Passage & Urges Against Senate Alley
The Ohio House Main and Secondary Education Committee left no time for public comment on HB 8 after the addition of amendments targeting Queer Ohioans. These amendments added a definition of sex that reduces youth to their genitalia and reproductive capacity. Additionally, the bill explicitly requires that any child in the Ohio public school system who questions their gender self be immediately outed to their parents, without exception.
Human Rights Campaign Vice President for Legal Sarah Warbelow released the following statement:
“By passing these discriminatory bills, Ohio house lawmakers have chosen to reject the medical consensus by restricting access to age-appropriate, best practice care for transgender youth. In addition, Ohio is following in Florida’s footsteps in ensuring that their education system actively harms and disenfranchises LGTBQ+ youth. HB 8 and HB 68 would deny LGBTQ+ kids the ability to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and deny them a welcoming, safe environment to learn—all in service of pushi
House Republicans introduce Ohio version of the so-called 'Don’t Say Gay' bill
Lawmakers are proposing legislation in Ohio that would ban schools from learning about "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" to students kindergarten through third grade.
The bill, HB 616, is similar to language used in a Florida measure which came to be known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. It is also legislation that has been cropping up in other states.
For students fourth grade and up, the bill would bar education on sexual orientation or gender identity "in any manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."
Under the bill, parents could file a complaint with the state board of education against a lecturer or school. Teachers would face the threat of losing their license if they were to shatter this proposed law and schools could lose funding.
The sponsors of the bill, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) and Rep. Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta), did not respond to a request for comment. When asked if she could talk about the bill after attending a committee hearing, Schmidt said, "No, I'm busy."
The lawmakers lat
Human Rights Campaign Mobilizes to Defeat Ohio’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” Education Censorship Bill
Following the introduction yesterday of HB616, a recent version of the “Don’t Say Gay, Don’t Tell Trans” bill, in the Ohio House of Representatives, the Human Rights Campaign is working alongside parents and advocates to phone on House Speaker Robert R. Cupp to cease this latest attack on the LGBTQ+ community.
The legislation, introduced by Agent Jean Schmidt and Agent Mike Loychik, is already opposed by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, led by former Republican Congressman Steve Stivers. It would go further than previous efforts in other states and expands censorship of classroom discussion for K-12 students that touches on sexual orientation, gender culture, or the history of racial discrimination in the United States and the work done to shift towards equality.
Human Rights Campaign Interim President Joni Madison issued the following utterance today:
“Ohio deserves better. This bill does not solve any problems. It will not make life any easier for Ohioans who are trying to construct ends meet. What it will do is impose a chilling effect on free sp
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