Actor Wilson Cruz is among those to react with anger and disappointment to the news that Florida’s Senate yesterday passed its controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.
Aimed at schools, HB 1557 seeks to ban the discussion of LGBTQ topics mainly at the primary grade level. However, it will also limit discussion when “not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students”. It’s now heading toward Governor Ron DeSantis’ deck for signing. DeSantis has indicated he supports the legislation.
Related: Wilson Cruz claps back at homophobic ‘Star Trek’ fan in bold, logical fashion
Cruz, famed for his role on Star Trek: Discovery, happened to be in Florida and visiting the Pulse memorial in Orlando when the news broke. He posted a video of himself at the memorial with Barbara Poma. The former owner of Pulse nightclub, Poma set up the onePulse Foundation in memory of the mass shooting which resulted in the deaths of 49 people in 2016.
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“I found myself at #PULSE today only a few minutes after the #Florida legislature passed its violent #DontSayGay bill and sent it to @flgovrondesantis to sign,” said Cruz in his video caption. “Almost 6 years after this national #lgbtqia tragedy, Florida has learned NOTHING about how to prevent another Pulse.”
He urged people to support the OnePulse Foundation to ensure people never forget what happened there.
In his video clip, Cruz said of the passing of the bill, “This memorial wouldn’t be necessary, the murders that happened here almost six years ago would not have happened, if we educated our children more, if we educated our population more, about LGBTQ issues and issues of people of color and civil rights in this country.
“And yet we find ourselves today in a state in which a legislature is denying this entire state’s children of its history, and we cause harm to kids and how they see themselves and how the community sees them. And some people even extrapolate that for the need of violence.
“So we sit here in Florida today looking at this memorial, remembering the people that we lost, but also wondering how we stop this from happening again, and I tell you what, this bill isn’t going to help it. So do what you can today, reach out to your legislator and tell them how evil and unnecessary and harmful this is, so we never have to see another Pulse happen again.”
Related: Wilson Cruz recalls the time dad kicked him out on Christmas Eve for being gay
Others have also denounced HB 1557, officially called the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.
“The Florida state legislature is playing a dangerous political game with the health and safety of LGBTQ+ kids,” said Cathryn M. Oakley, State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel at the Human Rights Campaign, in a statement. “The existence of LGBTQ+ people across Florida is not up for debate. We are proud parents, students, and teachers, and LGBTQ+ people deserve to exist boldly, just like everyone else.”
Another sci-fi legend, actor Mark Hammill (of Star Wars famed), reacted with a tweet repeating the word ‘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 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
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reacted to the bill with a blunt statement, suggesting the legislation may contravene civil rights protections against discrimination.
“Parents across the country are looking to national, state, and district leaders to support our nation’s students, help them recover from the pandemic, and provide them the academic and mental health supports they need.
“Instead, leaders in Florida are prioritizing hateful bills that hurt some of the students most in need.
“The Department of Education has made clear that all schools receiving federal funding must follow federal civil rights law, including Title IX’s protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“We stand with our LGBTQ+ students in Florida and across the country, and urge Florida leaders to make sure all their students are protected and supported.
Leaders in Florida have decided that bills based on hate & discrimination take priority over our students’ pandemic recovery. My team & I stand with our LGBTQ+ students in Florida & across the country & urge Florida leaders to protect & support all students.
— Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) March 8, 2022
The Accidental Polemicist
This bill simply prohibits classroom discussions on any sexual orientation or identity for children in kindergarten through third grade. It does not single out any specific word, including the word “gay,” despite the left’s false framing.
“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’s text reads in part.
I think the bigger question is, “Why do grown, non-family members want to discuss sexual matters with five year olds?
Chrisk
First off why do you keep changing names? Really doesn’t help your credibility. We already know you have a bunch of screen names. That’s just weird.
Yes you can’t talk about sexual orientation and gender identity. Anyone with a functioning brain knows full well who and what that means though. Even the sponsor of the bill specifically said it’s out of concern for kids coming out in school ie gay. You’re once again being misleading.
Polaro
You cherry picked the parts of the bill that make some sense. You ignored the terrible bits. That’s dishonest. I have some concerns about adults pushing young children on issues of sexuality and gender and interfering with parents’ responsibility. The bill is couched in ways to address this, and then goes off the rails with chilling restrictions that go way beyond the goal. It is a mean-spirited and badly written bill that has no right being a law.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Chrisk “Yes you can’t talk about sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Wrong. You obviously haven’t read the bill. 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.
You still have not answered my question, “Why do grown, non-family members want to discuss sexual matters with five year olds?”
MarcyMayer
It’s just more fake news from homosexuals who make their living as professional gays.
cuteguy
@the accident Why are you on here if you’re obviously a Faux News troll. Your stupidity is not welcome here. Go spread your hate somewhere else, How about on Lauren Boob-ert’s page or Majorie Taylor Biggot’s.
Den
“I think the bigger question is, ‘Why do grown, non-family members want to discuss sexual matters with five year olds?'”
Actually, straight boy, the issue is why do you people never seem to understand that Being Gay is not just “about sex”, just as being a breeder like you is (hopefully) not just about sex.
Are you so damn stupid not to be aware that there are in fact kids in grades k through 5 that have same sex parents? Do you like that fact that teachers will need to ignore comments made by them or about them to be in compliance? Do you like that fact that fundamentalist parents can “cancel” the acknowledgement of diverse families, adversely affecting these kids? I will have to assume you do.
Do you buy into the backwards notion that discussion of diversity in families and relationships will “groom” children, or try to convince them that they are gay or trans? That is one of the notions behind that bill and you would have to be duller than I assume you are to fall for that.
You may dislike us or feel we are less human than you, just as your kind used to feel about non-whites. Cannot really change that kind of stupidity, but at least have the decency to keep it to yourself, and try not to damage children.
nunya
When the US sadly lags behind the rest of the world in basics like math and science, we are to trust the same people who can’t teach simple math and science to grade schoolers to teach sexuality to them? If I were a teacher, I would tell any student asking me any questions concerning human sexuality to ask their parent(s) or guardian(s). Their parent(s) or guardian(s) are the ones to have those types of discussions with their children.
Den
And I should add to that: A spokesperson for the gov of Florida made a public statement that this was an “anti-grooming” law and that anybody who opposed it was a pedophile. I am paraphrasing here, but it is pretty close to what she said and one would have to be as dull as you to miss her point. The tired old belief that gay men are pedophiles, grooming and recruiting kids is as hateful as any anti black or anti-Semitic tropes still trotted out by folks like you. This was made as an official statement in her role, not as a statement of perverse private belief.
It is often hard to believe that far-right folks like you are even sentient beings!
Den
“When the US sadly lags behind the rest of the world in basics like math and science, we are to trust the same people who can’t teach simple math and science to grade schoolers to teach sexuality to them?”
We lag behind the rest of the world in such basics because the right wing (people obviously like you) will not devote resources to education. They object to the teaching of real science in red states because it “goes against the bible”: There are STILL idiots who object to the teaching of real biology and physics because the repudiate Genesis. We lag behind because they cut school nutritional programs and aid to economically challenged families so many of our children below the poverty level (and there are more of them here than is most of the European democracies) come to school hungry and have difficulty concentrating. They object to giving teachers the salaries and benefits they deserve but allow administrators who are not in contact with the kids 6 figure salaries. We lag behing the rest of the world because people like you oppose national standards in favor of “community standards despite a shocking number of legislators (like Bobert and Greene for example) who would love to destroy public education and mandatory k-12 education.
Most teachers are not teaching sexuality, but simply trying to maintain the self esteem of students who have diverse natures, and equally diverse families. Sad so many like you are too simple to understand this.
Inspector 57
There were numerous efforts to amend this bill to make it more sensibly general. That is, legislators proposed changing the verbiage so that it would cover ALL age-inappropriate discussion of sexual matters in the classroom. Republicans reacted to these proposals by SAYING, “No, we’re targeting LGBTQ’s here.”
It’s a hate bill, pure and simple.
Mister P
Being LGBT is not about pedophilia. Why would you frame that way unless you don’t understand?
Polaro
Wilson has a point. The republicans really are not our friends. They have taken no responsibility for the damage they have done and the real blood on their hands.
That said, there are people on our side that say and do things to alienate people against LGBT people. Much of the QIA nonsense does not help us. There is no excuse for violence against LGBT and QIA people regardless. So, I will die defending the LGBTQIA hill, but it will not stop me from calling out the stupid things we say that infuriates a lot of people.
Mister P
Seek help Marcy.
MarcyMayer
You bigot. Because I’m trans, you think I need help. I was wondering when your anti-trans bigotry would be revealed.
Kangol2
MarcyMayer, you’re the same one that made a racist implication about Black and Latinx New York voters, and you’re calling someone else a “bigot.” GTFOH! And now you’re claiming to be “trans”? How clueless do you think people are?
MarcyMayer
I see, Kangol2, that you’re a trans bigot, too.
cuteguy
What is wrong with Florida? How could they vote in this evil monster Deathsantis who obviously hates gay ppl. He notoriously omitted lgbtq from the pulse memorial and then tried to blame it on some non existent staffer. The progressives blew it when they chose that druggie Andrew Gillum over Charlie Crist to run against Adolf Deathsantis. Crist may be running again but Deathsantis has the momentum
Kangol2
DeathSantis barely–barely–defeated Gillum, don’t forget. There’s no guarantee Charlie Crist would have defeated DeathSantis. My question is, given all of the potentially strong Democratic candidates in this very populous state, why do Florida Dems so often pick people who are so lackluster for statewide office?
MarcyMayer
Kangol2:
I split my time between NYC and South Florida.
I know both NYC and Florida very well.
There are NO “strong” Democrat candidates.
You don’t know what you’re talking about.
jt1990
I’m not sure how this bill has more to do with the Pulse Club shooting than the shooter himself. Muslim/Afghan men have a particular fetish of murdering gays, yet many of you think it unfair to deny them access to our country.
Thad
Another unenforceable, unnecessary law. Why do legislators bother?
Jaquelope
If this law conflicts with the Federal rules, can’t it be struck down? iirc, other laws, in other states, that conflicted with Federal laws were quickly struck down.
MarcyMayer
The CONSERVATIVE Supreme Court will make that decision.
Seth
Stopping another shooting, like the one at Pulse, has never been the goal. Causing another one has always been the goal. Conservatism thrives in misery and few things cause more misery among Americans than incessant gun violence.
MarcyMayer
As a libertarian, I believe in freedom of speech, conscience, thought, etc. Basically: Stay out of my bedroom and my purse.
On the other hand, you prefer a left-wing dictatorship which cancels people and control their speech.
Chrisk
MarcyMayer
Ah Marcy aka SamB aka The Accidental Polemicist, etc, etc.
As a libertarian,,…Ha. I knew what was coming next was going to be pure anti democrat garbage.
MarcyMayer
Chrisk:
Are you still shilling for the far left? Too bad that people like you have destroyed the Democrat Party.
Inspector 57
Wilson Cruz was so effectively articulate on his Instagram post. Thank you, Mr. Cruz!
jt1990
I’m sure most on the Left have intentionally forgotten, but I recall the Pulse Club shooter being of a certain nationality and religion…