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This is a speech I wrote and preformed at my county education office.

When I was in eighth grade, I started the Gay/Straight Alliance club at my middle school. At the end of the year, I had dozens of students write me letters saying how much the club meant to them. I wrote some of them down to share with you all today. This is just a few pieces of what they said:

"I cannot thank you enough for making the GSA. My parents don't accept my identity at home and I don't have any support except from the people in this club. Thank you so much for giving me a place to belong."

Another student said: "This is the first time in my life I've ever felt seen. I don't have anyone to talk to about my feelings and you all help me feel so accepted and loved."

Another student: "Thank you for giving me a place to feel cared about when even my own family does not. The friends I've made in this club have shown me more support than I've seen from my own parents."

If this hateful bill passes, it could erase the comfort we've brought to these students. It could erase the only support struggling queer kids have. It could erase all the progress we have made as a society. LGBTQ+ middle schoolers are at a huge risk. I may be graduating soon, but my family and all of these kids will grow up in a state that tells them they're not equal to the other students - that their identity is something to be kept a secret. Please don't allow these children to grow up thinking that something is wrong with them, because even if that's not the intent, that is the effect that will take place. Kids will realize that they're queer, try to talk about it, then be silenced, shamed, and outed by people they trust the most. That is traumatizing to anyone, especially a young person.

Queer people already have such little representation and such little of our history being taught. There are thousands of queer students who only have a teacher on their side. Not their own mother and father, but their teacher. And now, if this bill passes, it's requiring that teacher to betray that student's trust.

We cannot be brushed aside, swept under the rug — silenced. We refused to be treated like we're worth any less than the straight, cisgender students. We have suffered enough. All this hateful bill is doing is spreading the message that queer people are less than other students. All we want is to be treated equally, why is that so hard to ask a group of people who's job is supposed to be making our futures brighter?

On behalf of all queer people, if this bill passes, please implement it as little as possible. Help us instead of hurting us. Support us like you would any other student. Thank you.

Part 2

At the last meeting, some comments were made by misinformed parents about the "Don't Say Gay" bill. It helped me realize how misinterpreted the bill is and, because of this, I want to address the concerns that parents (and potentially some board members) may have regarding it.

I'd first like to explain that the basis of being LGBTQ+ is not inherently sexual. Yes, we are talking about sexuality, but not in a provocative or inappropriate manner - we're just talking about the right to exist. I'm not fighting to engage in sexual conduct on campus or to teach small children about non age-appropriate topics, I'm fighting for the right to live in peace. Many people think that the bill is only in place to prevent teachers from talking about inappropriate discussions, but that isn't a problem that's currently happening. No teacher would even want to do that in the first place, and it's not their job to. This bill has so many other real effects on queer students and not just elementary ones.

I'd also like to address the idea that parents should know every little thing that goes on in their children's lives. Yes, they should be aware of life threatening or illegal activities that could potentially harm them, but being gay or trans is neither of those things. Teenagers need space to explore and understand their identity. Parents can support them by teaching them to be independent rather than to depend on them, otherwise teenagers will never learn how to be self-sustaining, functional adults. And if a student chooses to come out to their teacher but not their parents, that shows that the child does not feel safe enough or supported enough by their parents - this is the real issue that parents should be tackling.

I don't think it's justifiable for straight, cisgender, white, middle aged people who haven't experienced as much discrimination in their entire lives to speak on such matters. Let queer people talk. We are trying to tell you that there is a problem, but no one can hear us when you keep speaking over our voices. I am the one who has to deal with homophobia and transphobia, not them. I have lived through it, not them. I am suffering, not them.

Parents, please don't preach hatred upon a community that's struggling just to exist. And board members, please don't take into consideration the opinion of people who this bill won't even effect. Listen to the people who are struggling, not those trying to lengthen our suffering. Thank you.

Part 3

With the "Don't Say Gay" bill going into effect soon, many queer kids and allies are concerned about their futures within the education system. There's no guarantee of how strictly the bill will be implemented upon students or how drastically their school lives could change from it. And it isn't fair that we should have to avoid talking about our two moms or trans brother at the lunch table. It isn't fair for us to be silenced just because of society's heteronormativity. It's not fair at all, and we will no longer tolerate the intolerance of others.

According to the Seminole County website, "The School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, or gender identity)". With the lack of action regarding this bill and the board not supporting queer students enough, they have not acted on this supposed policy. Our right to live peacefully and to be ourselves is being impended on. Not being allowed to talk about our own families just because they're queer proves that we aren't treated the same as cisgender, straight students.

SCPS needs to be doing more for LGBTQ+ students - recognizing and celebrating pride month would be a great start to that. With the upcoming "Don't Say Gay" bill, it would mean so much to queer students to actually be seen and heard by the county while it's still possible to do so. Considering everything going on, I don't think it's a lot to ask from a group of people who's job is supposed to revolve around the best interest of students.

I'd like to add that as one of those "few transgenders" from some random wikipedia statistic, there is no grooming going on within schools. Being queer is not some fun or quirky thing, it comes with so many struggles that no one would voluntarily do. My sexuality and gender is not who I am, but it is part of who I am, and I have to deal with discrimination because of that, which is what we're talking about - standing up for our identities to end marginalization. It's not fair for people to come up here and say all of these horribly transphobic and homophobic and racist things, but then throw a temper tantrum when they get back an ounce of what they've been viciously dishing out for years. Like I said, we will no longer tolerate your bigoted intolerance. Thank you.