More than a dozen bills targeting or potentially targeting the LGBTQ+ community have been filed this year in the Florida legislature. To clarify what the bills mean and how they will impact people’s lives, the local advocacy group, Strive, is hosting a town hall this evening.
Devin Cole, president of Strive, says many of the laws are vague and misleading, which is one reason for the town hall.
“One tactic the Florida GOP have employed is the use of vagueness to sow confusion and fear,” they said.
Bills include extending the education law known as “Don’t Say Gay”to workplaces andbanning legal recognition of transgender identitiesas well as requiring sex affidavits from all Floridians with driver’s licenses. A set of bills filed by Rep. Michelle Salzman and Rep. John Temple called “The Protect Our Children Act,” requires smartphone and tablet manufacturers to provide on-by-default filters on devices to prevent minors from accessing “harmful materials,” meaning “obscene” by state statute definition. The bill also increases penalties for adults who groom and prey on minors.
“This legislation not only bolsters restrictions against sexual predators but also establishes essential safeguards for our youth navigating the digital landscape,” Salzman said in a statement last month.
Critics of the “Protect Our Children Act” take issue with the vagueness of “harmful materials.”
Another big issue in the legislature that concerns Cole is HB 1 which restricts minors under 16 from creating social media accounts.
“Many queer and trans youth find kinship and community online,” said Cole. “There’s never been anything weird about it. The law keeps children from being online and building a community.”
Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ bills which included an extension of “Don’t Say Gay” through 12th grade and a ban on gender-affirming healthcare.
After a failed attempt at winning the Republican nomination for the 2024 Presidential race, Florida Democratic lawmakers have said DeSantis’ hold on the state legislature could be loosening. Earlier this month, the governor directed the state Department of Education to reform book ban policies after school districts were inundated with challenged books.
Afederal lawsuitwas filed against the Escambia County School District over books pulled due to “Don’t Say Gay.”
While the governor may be “toothless” in his last term, Cole said it’s not time to stop paying attention. They encourage not just those who could be impacted by the laws, but friends, families, and allies to stay informed.
“Do the proper research and read the text itself,” said Cole, who suggests following the ACLU of Florida, which tracks bills moving through the legislature. The state session ends March 8.
Looking ahead, Cole said they are less enthused about the upcoming general election but focused on building a coalition among marginalized communities.
“We need to be looking to each other and forming intersectional bonds,” they said. “We have to establish them firmly and we can’t begin to discuss that if we’re all divided.”
The Strive Town Hall is tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. in the UWF Library Multipurpose Room.
