Activists Convinced a Utah Legislator to Rewrite His Discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

A Utah Republican has withdrawn key provisions of his “Don’t Say Homosexual or Trans” invoice after assembly with LGBTQ+ activists.

When Rep. Jeffrey Stenquist launched HB 550 within the Utah Home in February, its language was nearly similar to Florida’s notorious ban, which was handed into legislation final yr. As famous within the Salt Lake Tribune, the invoice barred “instruction” or “dialogue” of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identification in kindergarten by third grade lecture rooms, and mandated some other dialogue in greater grades be age-appropriate.

After assembly with representatives from Equality Utah final week, nonetheless, Stenquist introduced he had amended the invoice to take away “sexual orientation and gender identification” from its restrictions. The invoice nonetheless restricts discussions of “sexuality” and prohibits them within the decrease grades, however doesn’t outline the time period’s scope. (One examine revealed in 2021 means that early childhood sexual schooling has quite a few advantages, together with “appreciation of sexual variety, courting and intimate companion violence prevention, growth of wholesome relationships, prevention of kid intercourse abuse, improved social/emotional studying, and elevated media literacy.”)

“That is the Utah Means in motion,” Equality Utah wrote in a press release on Twitter after the assembly. “With the proposed modification, HB 550 can now not be thought-about a ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice.” The nonprofit group informed native reporters they’d stay “neutral” on the amended invoice.