'Don't Say Gay' law, and bills like it, will have harmful impact on Black LGBTQ+ youth, say critics - Yahoo News

TheGrio explores how Florida’s law banning classroom discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity will affect young people across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

Florida’s new controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill that bans all discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity has been repeatedly slammed by equality advocates as harmful to LGBTQ+ youth and their families.

But critics and data indicate that the new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week, and other bills like it across the country, could be especially damaging for Black and Brown LGBTQ young people, who are facing not just not anti-LGBTQ policies but anti-Black policy through other bills that also ban discussions on race.

“This is incredibly impactful to LGBTQ students of color, and in particular, Black students, because of the compounding negative impact on their mental health and well-being,” said Preston Mitchum, director of advocacy and government affairs at the LGBTQ nonprofit, The Trevor Project.

“Depression and mental health challenges and anxiety sets in and can be really debilitating for many Black and Brown LGBTQ folks, particularly when you’re young. It’s really important for us to have inclusive conversations in school related to folks’ race, sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Mitchum cited a Trevor Project study that found that LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to die by suicide, telling theGrio, “Issues like the Don’t Say Gay bill create an environment for discrimination” and make them a target in their community. He noted that while many discussions are surrounding when it’s appropriate for a child to talk about sexual orientation or gender identity, “young people are very well aware of who they are” at a young age.

He added, “We also know that young people are watching and listening. They’re not just sitting to the sidelines…[they’re] actually understanding the debates being held in the states across the country.”

Another study conducted with Morning Consult found that 85% of trans and non-binary youth and two-thirds of all LGBTQ youth — or 66% — say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. What’s more, Black LGBTQ youth report higher rates of poor mental health.

Proponents of the Don’t Say Gay law have championed the bill as a win for parental rights. The growing movement across the country to restrict conversation about LGBTQ+ identities has extended to banning books about sexuality, gender identity and race.

The Don’t Say Gay law, officially called the Parental Rights in Education, has ignited fierce political debate and, just days after it was signed, Gov. DeSantis and the state of Florida were hit with a filed by advocacy groups who say the new law violates students and families’ constitutionally protected rights of free speech, equal protection under the law and due process.

When it comes to public opinion on broader anti-LGBTQ bills, Mitchm noted another conducted by The Trevor Project and Morning Consult that found that a majority of adults support educational and health resources for LGBTQ+ youth.

source: https://news.yahoo.com/don-t-gay-law-bills-210000382.html

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