The Ohio Senate and House have now both passed a bill that would forcibly out LGBTQ+ students to their parents and also allow parents to opt their child out of “sexuality content” at school.

House Bill 8 defines sexuality content as “any oral or written instruction, presentation, image, or description of sexual concepts or gender ideology provided in a classroom setting,” with exceptions granted for STI and abuse discussion, as well as “incidental references” to sexual concepts or “gender ideology.”

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The bill applies to all students in the state and will restrict the rights of thousands of trans people if the governor signs it.

There is also a total ban on “sexuality content” in grades three and below, with all other grades facing a requirement for parental review of the content. It additionally requires notification of “any substantial change” in student services, defined as including changes to one’s gender identity in the school system.

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The bill was introduced by State Reps. D.J. Swearingen (R) and Sara Carruthers (R).

“If people are out and they don’t have supportive parents — there is an epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness,” Dara Atkinson, an activist with TransOhio, told News 5 Cleveland. “[There are] parents who don’t affirm their children and then decide that they would like them to not be their children.”

“For students that have queer families, it is then not OK in early childhood curriculum to discuss queer families as part of the community,” they added.

Carruthers claims, however, that “there is no hidden agenda” and that this is about advocating for parental rights. She claims it is not “anti-LGBTQ” and that “nothing can be done these days without offending others.”

The bill is now on its way to the desk of Republican Governor Mike DeWine as advocacy groups call for him to veto it.

“We are deeply disappointed that the legislature decided once again to attack LGBTQIA+ youth by passing yet another bill that will make schools less safe and inclusive for queer and transgender people,” said a statement from Kaleidoscope Youth Center, an LGBTQ+ youth center.

Equality Ohio Executive Director Dwayne Steward added, “Overnight when most school-age children are asleep, the legislature rushed through another shameful attack on LGBTQ+ youth.”

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