Some conservatives, including a spokesperson for Florida Gov. Republicans argue the discussion of LGBTQ issues is not age-appropriate for those students. Now multiple states are looking to emulate legislation in Florida, branded by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, that would bar discussion of sexual orientation in elementary schools across the state. Republicans at the state level have passed multiple bills over the past year targeting transgender athletes and criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors. You can’t let people define you,” said Michael Starr Hopkins, a progressive strategist. “If you allow someone to call you something and you don’t fight back, after a while people start to believe it.
While the Biden administration has offered some pushback, some Democratic strategists and lawmakers see risks in not more forcefully countering the GOP line of attack. Republicans have leaned into “culture war” issues in recent years, choosing as their latest front legislation in Florida and elsewhere that polices discussion in schools about gender and sexual orientation. Republicans are going on the offensive on LGBTQ issues, with the White House and its allies struggling to unite around a response.