Courtesy of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has led the way in anti-queer and anti-trans legislation as of late, including the nationally covered Don’t Say Gay bill (turned law) that has utterly chilled LGBTQ+ people of all ages and allies. Make no mistake: Conservatives have been attacking LGBTQ+ people, and especially trans people, consistently, especially when it comes to access to safe, legal, gender-affirming health care, bathroom access, sports teams, and even updating government records and identification documents. But those efforts have gotten less outrage than the now-infamous Don’t Say Gay effort, likely because even allies are still less comfortable and informed on trans issues versus “gay” issues.
Even still, the consequences of the DeSantis law, which goes into effect as of July 1, 2022, are already terrible for both students and teachers. In short, the Republican-led legislation stomps out opportunities for public school educators to teach about LGBTQ+ identities and histories in the classroom entirely through third grade and effectively through all grades given the legislation’s vague and broad references to “age-appropriate” discussions. In effect, the law silences LGBTQ+ and questioning students, those with LGBTQ+ family members and friends, and of course, the teachers and coaches themselves.
As Nicolette Solomon discussed in an in-depth interview with The Washington Post, for example, the hateful legislation forced her into a heartbreaking decision: Stay true to herself as an openly queer woman married to another woman, or keep her job as an elementary school teacher in Florida.
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Solomon taught fourth-graders in the Miami area, where she told the Post she never talked about her wife with students, though she knew her colleagues in heterosexual-appearing relationships did mention their spouses while teaching. She also shared with the outlet that some of her teachers were less than inclusive when it came to marriage, including telling her that her marriage was a violation of God’s rules and went against their religion.
Solomon told the outlet some students did seem to dig into her online, which led to finding a video of her wedding on Vimeo, for example, and some asked leading questions like her husband’s name upon seeing her wedding ring. But though she’d been out as a lesbian since college, Solomon avoided directly talking to the students about her orientation and marriage other than putting a Safe Space rainbow flag on her classroom door.
“I just felt like I’d be a good person to do that,” Solomon told the outlet, adding that no one else at the school was openly gay and “no one else knew anything about that.”
In speaking to NBC News a few months ago, Solomon stressed that the law would “erase” her as a teacher and effectively put her into the closet. “Nobody would be able to know,” she added. “Which then puts me in the closet, and I’m there seven hours a day, if not more, five days a week. I wouldn’t be able to be who I am.”
In the end, though, Solomon resigned from her position at the school in early February of this year. The negative comments from her peers became too much to handle, not to mention possible issues from parents once the Don't Say Gay law goes into effect.
Solomon claims to the Post that her peers weren’t supportive when she wanted to take time off for fertility treatments with her wife and that some made derogatory comments when considering her for a teacher of the year award.
Now Solomon says she’s applying for jobs, but she’ll never work as a public school teacher again—or at least, not in Florida. Because it’s not like we need bright, passionate people working in public schools or anything, right? Thanks DeSantis.
