FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jenn Curtin, Equality Federation, jenn@equalityfederation.org, 818.939.1835

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Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557 into law. This bill is among the first of its kind to be signed in 2022, specifically targeting LGBTQ+ parents and children. 

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“We are extremely disappointed that Governor DeSantis signed HB 1557, known widely as the ‘Don’t Day Gay’ bill, into law today. Unfortunately, this bill is just one of many making its way through state legislatures across the country. This is part of a growing national movement to wage war on education, targeting the most marginalized in society, in order to score political points and shore up future base voters.”

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“Every parent hopes our laws will ensure our children’s safety, protection, and freedom. But some politicians are rejecting those values and advancing legislation that would target LGBTQ+ kids for bullying and mistreatment, just because of who they are. The politicians and groups behind this and other bills like it want to use our laws to control what students can and cannot read, what they can and cannot learn, and—most troublingly—who they can and cannot be. Our schools should protect all students—including LGBTQ+ students—so they can learn and thrive in a safe environment. This law will force schools to violate that most basic trust. We won’t stand for it.” 

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“It is a shame that Gov. DeSantis did not follow the lead of his fellow Republican governors in Indiana and Utah who took a stand against vile anti-transgender legislation in their states this past week. Instead, he chose to prioritize signing this anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in order to pander to an increasingly polarized base while other Republicans are actually doing the hard work of governing and focusing on actual issues in their states.”

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“Equality Federation will continue to fight the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation alongside state equality groups like Equality Florida. Because all students deserve to thrive.”