In March 2023, Florida Representative Stan McClain proposed a bill that would restrict public school discussions about all topics related to sexuality. Sexually transmitted diseases, sexuality, anatomy—topics such as these will not be discussed for students until grades 6-12 at Florida public schools if this bill is enacted. While the idea of suppressing these topics has floated around for a while now, the most radical and shocking aspect of this bill is that it additionally bans the discussion of menstruation and other parts of female puberty. Floridian Democrats are outraged, claiming that young students who experience periods will be unprepared when they begin to menstruate. Not only would this bill ban teachers from discussing sexuality, but also it would ban any and all books that allude to sexuality or menstruation.
In my personal opinion, I think it’s ridiculous to assume that banning discussions about sexuality will lead to anything that many Republicans want. It will not prevent sex, it will not prevent gay people, and it definitely will not help little girls. I also find it ironic that any American senator wants to ban books and the promotion of ideas; what happened to the land of the free?