ANTI-LGBT BILLS PLAGUE KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE

With every advancement of a “Don’t Say Gay” copycat bill, the specifications get more and more grim.

Kentucky has introduced multiple antiLGBT bills to its legislature just this year, most of which pertain to how queer children and subjects will be handled in schools.

SB 150 has already passed the Senate and moved to the House. It prohibits teachers and students from being required or recommended to use a student’s preferred pronouns when they don’t align with their original birth certificate.

HB 173, which was introduced in early February, follows the same outline as the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, while taking each point much further.

The bill states that students cannot be instructed on subjects of sexual orientation or gender presentation “inconsistent with biological sex” from kindergarten through eighth grade. Students in ninth through twelfth grade can’t discuss it either, unless required by approved curriculum. On that matter, teachers can’t even show support with displays such as Pride flags.

Parents must also be notified if their student changes their name and pronouns. Trans students won’t be allowed to use their preferred bathroom, either.

Allies to LGBT youth can hope that such a bill couldn’t pass in good conscience. However, Senators passed SB 150 mere months after fellow Senator Karen Berg lost her transgender son to suicide.