Ohio dont say gay bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio advocates are warning against a bill that would need schools to notify parents if the child identifies as LGBTQ+ as adv as allow parents to opt out of so-called "sexuality" content. The GOP denies it is homophobic, saying it's just a way for parents to stay informed.

During the last expected week of lame duck session, legislators are trying to pass everything they can. Legislation that has been up for debate is House Bill 8.

State Reps. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton) introduced the bill that would require schools and teachers to notify parents about any changes to their child's mental, physical, or emotional existence — including if they identify as LGBTQ+. Dara Atkinson with TransOhio explained that this could guide to a "forced outing" of students.

"If people are out and they don't have supportive parents — there is an epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness," Atkinson said. "[There are] parents who don't affirm their children and then decide that they would like them to not be their children."

The legislation also mandates notification about so-called "s

GOP lawmakers introduce version of 'Don't Say Gay' bill in Ohio

Ohio Republicans introduced a House bill on Monday prohibiting "divisive or inherently racist" curriculum and banning instruction that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The proposal is now facing backlash from local LGBTQ advocates.

The bill combines language from Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" law, and legislation that seeks to limit education on race proposed by Republicans in some states.

The bill states that "curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity" would be banned in classrooms starting from kindergarten through third grade.

In grades four through twelve, such guide would be banned if presented in "any behavior that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards," the bill reads.

It is unclear how age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate-ness is defined and applied.

Opponents of restricting LGBTQ content have been vocal with their outcries after Florida passed its

House Republicans introduce Ohio version of the so-called 'Don’t Say Gay' bill

Lawmakers are proposing legislation in Ohio that would ban schools from training about "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" to students kindergarten through third grade.

The bill, HB 616, is similar to language used in a Florida measure which came to be known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. It is also legislation that has been cropping up in other states.

For students fourth grade and up, the bill would bar education on sexual orientation or gender identity "in any manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

Under the bill, parents could file a complaint with the state board of education against a lecturer or school. Teachers would face the threat of losing their license if they were to crack this proposed law and schools could lose funding.

The sponsors of the bill, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) and Rep. Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta), did not respond to a request for comment. When asked if she could talk about the bill after attending a committee hearing, Schmidt said, "No, I'm busy."

The lawmakers lat

Cracking the Façade: Analyzing Ohio's "Don't Say Gay" Legislation as Disguised Discrimination Under the First and Fourteenth Amendments

Abstract

The Ohio State Legislature is among the growing nationwide trend in attacking LGBTQ+ rights. Chief among these is Ohio Dwelling Bill 8, which claims to limit the types of content children meeting in schools. While the drafters cite this noble intent, the bill's actual impact further harms lgbtq+ students and teachers, who already bear heavier mental health burdens due to such legislation and its societal implications. This type of legislation recently originated in Florida, where it was signed into statute by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022 and garnered national media attention. As Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a near-identical bill in January 2025, the outcomes observed in Florida inform the constitutional analyses for the Ohio constituency. As in Florida, Ohio’s bill is left intentionally vague, banning “gender ideology” and “sexual concepts” in classrooms or constraining them to what is deemed age-appropriate without providing sufficient guidelines for what may be acceptable. The disparate impact of this legislation is rooted entirely

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