Georgia Republicans brazenly introduce ‘Don’t Say Gay’ copycat. Here’s what it actually means

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Georgia lawmakers filed their own version of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill hours after Florida passed its own.

The bill (SB 613) is formally titled the “Common Humanity in Private Education Act” and is sponsored by 10 GOP state senators.

If passed, it would prohibit schools from encouraging “classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity” both in primary grade levels, and “in a manner that is not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the student”.

Anthony Michael Kreis, professor of law at Georgia State University, pointed out its similarities to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill – which passed out of the Florida Senate on Tuesday (9 March).

He warned that while “constitutionally infirm”, the the “profoundly hateful” legislation would harm “Georgia’s children, chill speech and would be used as a cudgel to attack LGBTQ people and their supporters”.

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“It serves no interest but a bare desire to harm,” he added.

This is a profoundly hateful piece of legislation that will harm Georgia's children, chill speech, and will be used as a cudgel to attack LGBTQ people and their supporters as pedophiles. It is constitutionally infirm bill. It serves no interest but a bare desire to harm. #gapol

— Anthony Michael Kreis