The “Don’t Say Gay” bill has been passed by the Florida House of Representatives.

Last night, the Florida House of Representatives passed an extremely controversial new bill, dubbed by its opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The bill severely limits the capacity at which school staff can discuss topics like gender and sexual orientation with students.

The bill prohibits discussion of gender and sexuality “in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Schools would also be required to notify parents “if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.”

Opponents of the bill, including Democratic senators and LGBTQ+ activists, have cautioned that this bill will cause problems for LGBTQ+ students, many of whom already experience statistically higher rates of bullying and stress from their peers for their orientations and gender identities.

The bill still needs to go through the Florida Senate, then be signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be passed into law. DeSantis has not concretely stated his intent on signing one way or another, though earlier in the month, he did express his support for the bill.