South Florida tennis star Coco Gauff spoke out against the recent Florida bill that prohibits classroom discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity for young students in the state.
“I’m against it,” Gauff said, according to multiple reports prior to Wednesday’s match at the Indian Wells tournament in California. “I think these conversations are important, and for me who has friends in the LGBTQ+ community, I couldn’t imagine not being able to talk about your identity. I feel that’s something that is normal.”
Florida lawmakers passed HB 1557, known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, on Tuesday. It bans “classroom instruction in public schools on sexual orientation or gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade,” according to multiple reports.
The bill was trending on social media this week as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a name given by its opposition. Gauff, who is from Delray Beach, is one of those opponents.
“Every (LGBTQ+) person I’ve known has known that they were part of that community since they were young,” Gauff said Wednesday with reporters. “I think it’s important that they have those conversations in school, because that is suppose to be a safe space to talk about everything.”
Students throughout Florida protested the bill, including Miami students who traveled to Tallahassee, this week.
The bill goes into effect July 1, if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signs it, which he is expected to do, according to various reports.
“I think it was in 2019 or 2020 when I talked about the Black Lives Matter movement — I said it was important to have those conversations,” Gauff said. “Same stance on this. I think it’s important to have those tough conversations, and from the people that I spoke to who are part of the community, it definitely makes a difference when you don’t have to hide who you are.”
