Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Take Effect in Five More States
From left: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey; photos courtesy of the governors' officesFlorida is getting all the attention with its heinous “don’t say gay” law taking effect, but several other states have major anti-LGBTQ+ laws that came into force Friday.Prominent among them is Alabama, which has its own version of a “don’t say gay” law.
The “don’t say gay” provision was attached as an amendment to an anti-transgender “bathroom bill,” which Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law in April.
The legislation requires that students in public schools use the restrooms and changing rooms designated for the gender on their birth certificate.It also says, per the last-minute amendment, “An individual or group of individuals providing classroom instruction to students in kindergarten through the fifth grade at a public K-12 school shall not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”Ivey, a Republican, issued this statement defending the legislation: “Here in Alabama, men use the men’s room, and ladies use the ladies’ room — it’s really a no brainer.
This bill will also ensure our elementary school classrooms remain free from any kind of sex talk. Let me be clear to the media and opponents who like to incorrectly dub this the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ amendment: That is misleading, false and just plain wrong.
