Students across Florida staged school walkouts in response to legislation — dubbed the 'Don't Say Gay' bill — that would prohibit discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the state’s primary schools.
. The measure’s opponents contend that the bill would be detrimental to the mental health of the state’s LGBTQ children and teachers, preventing them from openly talking about themselves and their families.
But Sky Smith, who attended a student walkout at Bayside High School in Palm Bay and identifies as a nonbinary lesbian, said that is exactly what schools should be doing. Eliza River Stone, who identifies as LGBTQ and attended one of the protests, said her high school in St. Petersburg, Gibbs High School, is draped with rainbow flags, Gay Straight Alliance club posters"everywhere" and other LGBTQ-affirming symbols.