Louisiana House Advances K-12 “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

The Associated Press reports:

As several conservative states adopt legislation that prohibits school employees from teaching or discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom, Louisiana advanced its own “Don’t Say Gay” bill Wednesday. The anti-LGBTQ+ measure was narrowly approved by a Republican-controlled House committee and heads to the full House, where an emotionally charged debate over the culture war measure is all but guaranteed.

The bill that advanced 7-5 from a Louisiana House committee on Wednesday would ban K-12 public school staff from teaching or discussing gender identity and sexual orientation, including during any extracurricular activity. Republican state Rep. Dodie Horton, who authored the legislation, said the bill has “nothing to do with someone’s personal lifestyle,” but rather was created to “protect all children.”

From my March 2022 report on Horton’s first attempt: 

“I wasn’t aware of the need [for this legislation] until I looked at some things on Twitter and Facebook,” Horton told WBRZ Thursday. “It just solidified for us to protect our Louisiana children, as well. I started to pray about how we could protect our children here from inappropriate conversations until they are able to dissect it and old enough to understand it,” Horton explained. “I talked to my pastor and he challenged me and said, ‘we definitely need to do this.’”

Louisiana “Don’t Say Gay” bill advances out of committee https://t.co/n6LX1wa1jA #LouisianaNews

— KTVE – KARD (@MyArkLaMiss) April 27, 2023