Kamala Harris condemns Florida’s vile ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law
Kamala Harris condemned the Don’t Say Gay law during the speech. (Getty)
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has denounced Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law and expressed concern for the safety of LGBTQ+ Americans.
Harris highlighted the harm the law has caused, during a meeting with the National Association of Black Journalists on Tuesday (17 September).
“There are far too many people in our country who are not feeling safe,” she said. “Look at Project 2025 and the Don’t Say Gay laws coming out of Florida. Members of the LGBTQ+ community don’t feel safe right now.”
The Parental Rights in Education Act, better-known as Don’t Say Gay, is one of several anti-LGBTQ+ laws passed by Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis.
The original purpose of the legislation was to prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida primary schools but it has since been expanded to effectively censor Pride flags and LGBTQ+ rights discussion in schools and workplaces altogether.
When enacted into law in 2022, it became the catalyst for a wave of anti-queer bills that aimed to curb LGBTQ+ rights, including one which allowed courts to take custody of transgender youngsters who had had, or might get, gender-affirming care – effectively kidnapping LGBTQ+ children from their parents.
Since then, Florida has become something of a no-go zone for LGBTQ+ Americans, with a number of Floridians fleeing the Sunshine State.
Last year, the Human Rights Campaign, along with Equality Florida, issued travel guidance telling queer Americans to stay away from Florida.
Harris said the situation there was indicative of how marginalised people were feeling across the country.
“Immigrants or people with an immigrant background don’t feel safe right now. Women don’t feel safe right now,” she continued. “Yes, I feel safe, I have Secret Service protection. That doesn’t change my perspective on the importance of fighting for the safety of everybody in our country and doing everything we can to lift people up and not beat people down so they feel alone and made to feel small.”
The vice-president also addressed the assassination attempt on her rival for the White House, Donald Trump, saying that she had spoken to him following the incident and “checked to see if he was OK.”
Trump also addressed the assassination attempt in an interview with Fox News on Monday (16 September), blaming Harris and president Joe Biden.
“He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump said of the suspect, who has reportedly previously voted Republican.
“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at when I am the one who is going to be saving this country and they are the ones destroying the country,” the former president went on to claim.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
