On April 26th, chaos erupted in a Louisiana House Education Committee hearing when members voted on a measure that would prohibit teachers from using a different name or pronoun for a student unless given written permission from parents.
The bill, also known as HB81, was met with strong opposition from members of the LGBTQ community, with one individual being removed after calling out the committee for their ignorance.
The debate further heated up with the introduction of HB466, which aimed to prevent the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 classes. Opponents of the bill dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” and argued that it would prohibit teachers from talking about their own sexuality with students.
The committee members ultimately voted along party lines, 7-5, to pass both bills onto the House floor for consideration.
As the announcement came that the bills would move forward for consideration, the hearing devolved into a series of grunts and yells. One of the most notable testimonies came from a blue-faced drag queen known as “big gay baby”. Big gay baby urged the committee to vote no on HB466 for the “wounded child that still feels closeted inside [them].”
The bill was also opposed by Mrs. T, a teacher who claimed she had been approached by 4th grade students asking whether she identified as a boy or a girl. Mrs. T argued that the bill would prohibit her from giving her students the acceptance and love they needed.
It is clear that these bills, if passed, would have a major impact on teachers and students alike. However, with the passage of these bills, many are concerned that it could lead to a decrease in acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ individuals in the education system.
The committee also moved another bill to the floor that bans classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation from K-12th graders.
One of the people who testified against it was a drag queen with a blue face who called himself "big gay baby." pic.twitter.com/8mY87xQ7LJ
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 26, 2023
It is important that lawmakers continue to fight for the rights of parents to raise their own children. I don’t know what kind of response the big blue gay trans baby expected to get with his testimony but you have to admit things are getting weird at these education hearings.