NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — “I come from a LGBTQ+ family. I am LGBTQ+, and I don’t think it’s fair.”
Those are the words of Avalon Hagmann.
The 9th grader identifies as bisexual. Her sister identifies as lesbian.
The Southwest Florida sisters live with their two moms, who both identify as lesbian.
“We just try to keep it very open here, and very real,” Danielle Hagmann, Avalon’s mom, tells FOX 4.
On Tuesday, Florida’s Senate joined the House and passed what supporters call the “Parental Bill of Rights”. The bill now goes to Governor Ron DeSantis' desk for a probable signature.
Opponents call it the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”.
The bill does not actually say students can’t say the word ‘gay’.
But for kids in Kindergarten through third grade, it bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Avalon feels that sends kids like her a message.
“They’re not welcome.”
Bill supporters say it comes down to raising children.
That’s a notion Southwest Florida House Representative Jenna Persona Mulicka supports.
“This bill protects the parent’s rights to protect the upbringing of their children,” Mulicka said during a February state House session.
Governor Ron Desantis has also been a consistent supporter.
“I think it’s inappropriate to be injecting those matters like transgenderism into a Kindergarten classroom,” DeSantis said at a press conference.
But opponents like Avalon’s mom, Danielle, say the bill limits children and does not protect them.
“Part of parenting is introducing your children to things that may be outside of your comfort zone.”
