My fear of stepping inside of Florida state borders grows every day.

While it may be irrational of me to assume I’d be a target, I don’t doubt Gov. Ron Desantis can smell my queerness from his red throne.

From banning literature, limiting drag show audiences, to increased difficulty in accessing gender-affirming healthcare, Florida has become nothing short of an oppressive mess. This time, the victim of the ordeal seems to be the LGBTQ+ community.

The aforementioned bans all are in correlation with The Parental Rights in Education Act (HB 1557), commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which limits the education and expression of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida.

The supposed intent of the law was to prevent children from being exposed to topics they aren’t ready for yet. However, I argue this only prevents children who identify as LGBTQ+ from feeling safe within their own school community. This bill alienates these children, making it seem like their identities are taboo.

The entire law is hypocritical and solely targets LGBTQ+ individuals. Children’s books like “And Tango Makes Three”, a book about two male penguins adopting a baby penguin, are banned from schools only because there’s a nontraditional family in the story.

Like many other children, I would often search for stories where the main characters resembled me in some way when I was younger. Having that relatability to the characters gave me confidence in the fact that my identity was not only acceptable, but encouraged as well. Had it not been for the representation in my childhood media, I wouldn’t be confident in my identity like I am today. The fact that queer kids in Florida won’t get to have the same experience saddens me to no end.

The “Don’t Say Gay” law will certainly have effects beyond children as well. Drag shows have been a core part of Pride parades every June. Although only minors are barred from attending drag shows, a core part of the parades will be excluded from public spaces. While I’ve never been to a Pride parade myself, I’ve seen numerous stories online where kids with unaccepting parents find solace in the parades. Limiting exposure to drag is not benefitting children. All it does is make them think that something worth celebrating is shameful.

Under the guise of “protecting” children, Florida bans outlets for LGBTQ+ expression and celebration while simultaneously signing a permitless concealed gun carry bill into law, enabling the propagation of weapons that actively kill thousands of children per year. It doesn’t take someone with my political stance to see the hypocrisy of the situation. Limiting self-expression in a demographic already struggling with mental health is not protecting them. I really enjoy being able to be myself and be open about who I am. On the other hand, I have lived my entire life with the knowledge that there could be a day where I die during the school day at the hands of a shooter. Desantis’s legislation doesn’t provide children safety; It only oppresses and silences them even further.

Here in America, it is perfectly okay to constantly remind students they can be slaughtered at any moment. But god forbid we let kids express themselves.