Star Wars star Mark Hamill offered a stellar response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The proposed legislation—officially called the Parental Rights in Education bill and passed by Florida’s Senate on March 8—bans educators and others from discussing gender and sexual identities with younger students.
“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” the bill reads.
And the measure, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has indicated he’ll sign into law, is one of more than 150 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the 2022 legislative session around the United States, CNN reports.
Related: Out senator breaks down during debate over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
The day the “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed the Florida Senate, the Occupy Democrats’ Twitter account reported on students’ protests in the Sunshine State, saying these young people have made it clear they’re “going to #SayGayAnyway.”
And Hamill retweeted that missive—and wrote the word “gay” a total of 69 times.
gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gaygay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay
? https://t.co/8IroJDi5bN— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 8, 2022
Hamill has proven himself an LGBTQ ally before: In 2020, for example, he posted an “#LGBTerrific” poem about Finn and Poe, two Star Wars heroes whose chemistry was certainly noticed but never canonized.
Luke never met either Finn or Poe
So what they do behind closed doors
I guess I'll never know…
But I would like to also note that love is love
Whatever floats your boat.#LGBTerrific ? https://t.co/swT1F1UsOG— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) December 30, 2019
Related: Queer talent has officially conquered ‘Star Wars.’ Are gay Jedi next?
When conservative commentator Ben Shapiro replied to Hamill’s “gay” tweet—accusing the Luke Skywalker portrayer of “parroting idiotic propaganda” to “indoctrinate small children into gender and sexual ideology”—Hamill had a cheeky rejoinder.
Hi Ben,
I LOVE mind-reading acts! Now guess which finger I'm holding up…
??- Mar? https://t.co/et79YujyB2 pic.twitter.com/gFY1uger67— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 11, 2022
We love it when the last Jedi has the last word!
Bosch
Looks like Ben Shapiro thinks being gay is some kind of choice you make. I don’t think he knows what he exposes about himself by voicing that belief.
SamB
I don’t think he’s saying that. I don’t think talking about it will indoctrinate a child, ultimately, but there is a concern that a kid, at that age, will be pegged one way and then they feel they have to be that. Just leave the kids alone and let them be kids, and let them figure it out naturally, why would anyone talk about sexuality to a 5 year old? It’s not needed in a public school. The parent is more than fee to talk about it if they want.
Bosch
Sam, I’m not going down this road again. When I give you information about the psychological development of a human, you give me politics and opinions. And there is nothing “sexual” about understanding that people love who people love.
SamB
Bosch: How could you say there is nothing sexual about who people love? It’s all sex. That’s it. As a kid I would rather be friends with boys over girls and I think that was probably because I’m gay but maybe not? If at 5 I’m being told “well sometimes boys like boys” I would’ve said “yeah, those are my friends” What is the “teacher” going to say next? “Well “how” do you like those boys?” And I wouldn’t get it until they go “well sometimes boys want to be with boys …” how do you end that sentence to show that boys like boys sexually, without saying sex?
Bosch
Sam, if you tell a story that ends with a prince and a princess getting married, is that about sex?
Bosch
Goddamit I’m not gonna spend all day arguing with your ass. If you tell a boy that he should like girls, THAT is sexual indoctrination. If you were honest about your concerns, then this would bother you just as much. But of course, that won’t trigger your internalised homophobia.
SamB
Bosch: Kids don’t put marriage and sex together, that’s something they learn over time. My youngest nephew HATED girls. If I had said to him, at that age, well then you’ll have to marry your boy friends. He would just think “Cool! Hang out with my friends all day” They don’t know nuances of marriage and sex etc. They’ll learn about it when it’s more appropriate.
Bosch
“well then you’ll have to marry your boy friends.”
No, the point is that it’s NEVER ok to tell children who they SHOULD marry.
And everyone with an iota of awareness knows that that this “parental rights” bill will only lead to enforced heterosexuality.
Cam
@SamB
Translation: By “Leave the Kids Alone” the right wing troll means, teachers can say that Donald Trump is married, but cannot say that Pete Buttigieg is married, because the goal is to erase LGBTQ people from existence.
As always, your trolling is desperate and sad.
Kevan1
SamB how hard headed are you. I think you just like stirring sh_t.
Brian
SamB is our reliable dumb jerk. Of course he’s logging in to support this law.
Why would anyone talk about sexual orientation to a 5-yr. old? My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Dunham, spoke about her husband. Why didn’t anyone fine her thousands of dollars for trying to brainwash me?
My teachers informed me of the existence of Martha Washington. Were they “grooming” me?
Bonerboy
@Cam A couple days ago in the Meghan McCain thread you thought that I had said you too use multiple screen names. If you read what I said carefully (though it seems you did as you later quoted me) I was indicating that we here in Queerty almost all believe YOU that SamB uses multiple screen names. Not that YOU have multiple screen names.
Eternal.Cowboy
“ How could you say there is nothing sexual about who people love? It’s all sex. ”
I love my my parents and sister without sex being involved whatsoever. So you either have a family that doesn’t like each other or one that is really creepy. For the majority of us, we understand sex and love are very much different things.
Polaro
I think Ben Shapiro is very smart. He also likes to hear himself talk. Some battles are not worth fighting, he doesn’t ever take that into consideration. This bill is a very bad bill. Yes, it does limit gender and sexuality discussion with young children. I do not have a major problem with that. Its the rest of the bill that reeks of inbred stupidity. So, gay, gay, gay, gay…
Polaro
Actually, I decided to read the most recent version of the bill today – it is dated 3-8, and it is far less egregious than the original document. I thought Ben was cherry piking the only potentially reasonable idea in the bill, but it is really the only part remaining. Someone who writes in educated English re-wrote the bill 🙂 I’d have to study it more to see if it is a trojan horse via board of education guidelines, but knowing the right-wing, I’m guessing that is their strategy.
So, no, kindergarten teachers should not be encouraging little fem gay boys that they are girls, and teachers should not be able to keep information from parents, unless there is a risk of abuse or rejection, which is included in this version of the bill.
Buzz3112
Yeah, right, leave the alone; to experience every little boy being asked if he has a girlfriend. Nursery schools present play-weddings and girls are labeled tomboy. If you think such sexual and gender bias is not imposed on very young children, you are kidding yourself.
Brian
When my sister had twins, I moved in to help. I was shocked by how early the comments begin. Her friends would come by and criticize my nephew for his pajamas (“I see a spot of pink in there” in a complex, multicolored design). The kids couldn’t even speak yet.
trojanboy
Thank god for sane people like Mark Hamill.
MarcyMayer
Mark Hamill writing the word gay 69 times seems infantile for a man of his age.
johncp56
We knew Mark is one of the Good guys!!
vaehsg
I have a grandson being raised by 2 men and I don’t see the problem here my daughter put him up for adoption and we get pictures of him all the time and he’s a happy boy who has a little girlfriend lol they are like 6 or 7 but I don’t care if he’s straight, guy, or even trans no big deal I agree with Mark that law is so dumb I swear!!!!????
cheks
SamB has a nephew, so thinks he has it all figured out. Here’s the problem SamB, lots of kids have gay parents or trans parents. Lots of kids know they are trans a young ages.
This law says that these kids can’t read about or showcase their families at school, teaching them that there is something abnormal about their families.
If kids don’t “connect” marriage and sex, then why are books with two dad’s in the story being banned?
No teacher is “pegging” a kid as gay. That’s not the issue here. The issue is that teachers can’t read books about gay families because conservatives want people to teach their kids it’s wrong and don’t want teachers saying it’s ok.
The Accidental Polemicist
You are incorrect.
Lawmakers have said the proposed changes to classroom instruction should not impact student-led discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity. Conversations about families do come up in K-3rd grade levels, such as on an assignment about a family tree. As explained by lawmakers, those lesson plans would still be allowed if the assignments prompt a discussion about a student’s LGBTQ family member.
One-on-one discussions between a student and teacher are permissible as well as student-led discussions.
I think the bigger question is, “Why do grown, non-family members want to discuss sexual matters with five year olds?”
Cam
It’s cute how @SamB comes in under the name @The Accidental Polemicist to try to reconfirm the lie.
Sweetie, your trolling is sad and weak, as always.
MarcyMayer
Cam: People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. You have at least 10 alias screen names on here.
Kevan1
@Cheks Amen brother.
Terrycloth
Well , I’d love to see their faces when the call the parents in and in walk 2 men. Or 2 moms….I can hear the stuttering now..suppose the kid says my dad’s are great. Oh your step dad and dad are friends .no I have 2 dad’s..I love teenagers young adults they won’t stand for this BS already have had numerous walk outs carrying signs. For the don’t say gay.its ridiculous and the.kids know it
..
The Accidental Polemicist
Mark Hamill, along with propaganda news media, need to read the bill!
Opponents have renamed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to outright lie and mislead Americans into thinking that the bill is something it isn’t. Hamill as well as Democrats like Gary Farmer and Shevrin Jones of the Trevor Project don’t seem to have actually read the bill which forbids the instruction of sex education and gender identity in grades kindergarten through third grade.
“Don’t Say Gay Bill” might be the largest real-time fake news spread by the majority of the mainstream press in history.
Cam
@The Accidental Polemicist
Hi troll, it’s cute when you straight trolls try to claim laws won’t do one thing or another, because see, people who are ACTUALLY really LGBTQ remember that laws like “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” were promised as things that wouldn’t be used against Queer people. And then discharges from the military went up 500% under it.
But keep on lying troll, it’s funny watching you try.
MarcyMayer
To The Accidental Polemicist: You are Correct.
To Cam: “But keep on lying troll, it’s funny watching you try.” This quote refers to you.
muggie01
How does the bill work when the teacher has to address the issues of same sex parents of children in the class?
We in the UK had this crap with clause 28 in the 80s. So many white straight people the world over are dicks.
KRobert57
I am a teacher. I teach adults on the university level. So, I have no dog in this fight, but I do have a voice and an opinion which I will state as follows.
1.) There should not be a formal curriculum teaching the class about sexuality.
2.) The teacher should not be hindered in explaining simple questions from individual students.
3.) However, if this bill becomes law, then the heterosexuals will have their foot in the door. And as we know, this will not be enough for them. More bills will follow.
My God, what have we become as a nation? Such hate and vitriol.
The Accidental Polemicist
1.) “There should not be a formal curriculum teaching the class about sexuality.”
That is exactly what this bill is against!
2.) “The teacher should not be hindered in explaining simple questions from individual students.”
They aren’t! This is about teacher-led group discussions.
3.) “However, if this bill becomes law, then the heterosexuals will have their foot in the door.”
Heterosexuals will have their foot in the door? Don’t you mean PARENTS will have their foot in the door? This bill is about parents having more input and control on what their K-3rd graders are being taught. As it should be.
What is hateful about that?
I think the bigger question is, “Why do grown, non-family members want to discuss sexual matters with five year olds?”
Bosch
@the intentional polemicist
No school anywhere is discussing “sexual matters” with third graders. the existence of straight and gay people is not a “sexual matter”. So what problem is this bill solving, according to you?
Bosch
@the very intentional polemicist
“Don’t you mean PARENTS will have their foot in the door? ”
Being a parent doesn’t automatically make someone an expert on child development. In first world democracies, racist and homophobic parents do not have the right to force educational systems to perpetuate racism and homophobia. Why would you want that for the US?
MarcyMayer
KRobert57:
I sincerely doubt that you are a teacher of anything. You’re just another screen name Cam is utilizing. But keep on lying troll, it’s funny watching you try.
MarcyMayer
Bosch:
Parents are the primary teachers of their children – and they are taxpayers. Therefore, their views trump yours, the school systems’, or the government’s.
Do you and your husband – I’m assuming you’re a gay man – want teachers who are Evangelical Christians preaching to your kids in school? Of course not. It works both ways.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Bosch
“No school anywhere is discussing “sexual matters” with third graders.”
Actually, they are. If they aren’t, then why are you and others so viciously opposing the bill? If they aren’t, why would the bill be written in the first place?
“So what problem is this bill solving, according to you?”
Truth be told, this is an anti-grooming bill. The bill has been created because of school educators overstepping their bounds into areas of a child’s development that does not involve them.
If I was a parent (a gay one at that), I would definitely support this bill – I would demand it. No grown, non-family member is going to be discussing these issues with my child. That is my job when I feel my child is ready and mature enough to understand the topic at hand.
This is a perfect example of why more and more parents are choosing to homeschool their children.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Bosch
“Being a parent doesn’t automatically make someone an expert on child development.”
Never said it did.
“In first world democracies, racist and homophobic parents do not have the right to force educational systems to perpetuate racism and homophobia.”
Racism!?! Where did that come from? Racism has nothing to do with this. Please, please read the bill.
Cam
As always, the right wingers try to hide their bigotry and claim that any mention that LGBTQ people exist is somehow the same as showing porn films to children.
What this bill will do is, for example, if the class is discussing the American government, the teacher can tell the class that the secretary of of Defense is married and has a wife, but can’t mention that the Secretary of Transportation is married and has a husband.
It is complete erassure.
The fact that the same old right wing, anti-LGBTQ troll and all of it’s screenames (@SamB, @The Accidental Polemicist, etc..) that is always on here is so desperately defending it, shows it must be incredibly bigoted and hateful. Otherwise it wouldn’t care.
MarcyMayer
Cam:
In social studies class, I never recall teachers talking about the Secretary of Defense’s marriage or spouse. Usually the teachers talk about historic people, dates and events, but not who someone is or is not married to.
You really do sound ignorant.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Cam
“…any mention that LGBTQ people exist is somehow the same as showing porn films to children.
Please, please get a life – and a brain.
Also, you might want to read the bill before so eloquently pontificating about it. Just a thought.
Ronbo
Is anyone here so weak-minded that if they hear an opinion from more than one screen-name, that they will change their opinion?!? Please hold up your hand if that is you. OK? /crickets/
LGBTQ people are not stupid Cam. We form our opinions based upon our expriences – and everyone, including SamB has different experiences. Your personal attacks are wrong and drive good people away.
MarcyMayer
Ronbo:
Cam doesn’t like the fact that there are many LGBTQ+ people out there who may disagree with his political views.
I think he’s disturbed, concerned, and. perhaps, frightened because he wants to think of the LGBTQ+ community as monolithic and it isn’t.
The community is made up of individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, ethnicities, races, socio-economic levels, etc..
Cam wants uniformity of thought. Woe to that gay or trans person who disagrees with his views. To him, they are anathema.
Virtually, he is no different than Vladimir Putin – and many other dictators – whom he claims to despise. Perhaps he sees qualities in Vladimir Putin and the other dictators which he also sees in himself and, hence, he is projecting and deflecting because of it.
I’m honest with others: I’m a libertarian – I truly believe in freedom of thought and speech – and I’m not frightened of ideas or people with which I disagree. Regrettably, I think that Cam is.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Ronbo
@MarcyMayer
Agreed. Both well stated
Thank you for that. 🙂
Cam
@The Accidental Polemicist, @Ronbo
Keep it up. I love it when screenames already indentified as the troll account keep backing each other up. It’s weird, you’ve tried this astroturfing tactic many times on here, but now you seem much more panicked about it. Are your employers getting mad that you keep getting found out?
Ronbo
Correction: “Potentially” good people. Acceptance and inclusion are precursors to change. Everyone has the potential. They just aren’t going to learn better if all we show is hate and an enemies list.
nunya
Anyone who thinks a grammar school teacher with a lousy bachelors degree in education is qualified to discuss matters of gender and gender identity with anyone is an idiot. Those pushing an agenda know teachers aren’t qualified and you can bet dollars to donuts they are the ones preparing the teaching materials that are handed out to teachers and students. This bill is a preemptive strike against their subterfuge. If a student has questions about their gay uncle and his husband or his aunt that is now his uncle, the teacher needs only to tell the student to ask his parents for an explanation. Now let’s get back to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic – subjects at which American students are woefully inadequate.
Cam
More of the Republican B.S. that ….
1. Teachers aren’t qualified to teach.
2. This law is somehow riding to the rescue of 4 year olds being taught human sexuality.
Everyone knows the law actually would outlaw the mention of LGBTQ people. I.e. the teacher could mention that the secretary of defense is married, but could NOT mention the Secretary of Transportation’s husband.
Your rage and lying show that you’re just trolling, and as always, your trolling is sad and weak.
ZzBomb
“This bill is a pre-emptive strike…”
No this bill is a solution looking for problem that never existed.
Polaro
I have always loved Mark Hamill.
Polaro
So, I just read the most recent version of the bill, dated 3-8-22. It is a much better bill – the original was a hillbilly scree of gobbled gook. The current form has restrictions on information for K through 3 that are chilling. So, no, I don’t think discussion of families with two mommies or daddies would be allowed, for example, which is age appropriate. After the third grade I do not see any limits on discussion or teaching, beyond adhering to board of education guidelines, which can be a very slippery slope allowing backhanded bigotry.
While I do not like the bill, it is a reaction to a few misguided teachers pushing things they should not, well-meaning or not. This is an example of liberal overreach from the far left that hurts us all.
Fname Optional Lname
Every time straight people reminisce about “knowing someone was gay before they did” – it most often references when the gay in question was young, pre-teen perhaps. So you cannot say being gay is a choice or strictly about sex. It is just different and love is love. Yes gay people have sex to the horror of many a straight person but many gay people are in loving committed relationships. Go tell a straight women the only reason she is with a man is for sex – I suspect there will be a completely different story there.