Culture

Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill Allowing Parents to Opt Out of LGBTQ+ History, Sex Ed


In a statement posted to his website, Ducey claimed the order “ensures that parents are in the driver’s seat when it comes to overseeing the education of their children.”

A march to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, New York City, USA, 26th June 1994. The banner reads 'The 1994 International March on the United Nations to Affirm the Human Rights of Lesbian and Gay People'.

“Arizona is and will remain a national leader in parental rights,” he wrote. “Too often, parents are left out of this process, and the importance is even greater when it comes to educating students about deeply personal matters like sex education.”

As Ducey’s release noted, Arizona is one of five states that already requires parents to “opt in” to the information presented in sex ed classes before it can be introduced to students. His statement claims that the Grand Canyon State has “among the most pro-parental choice laws in the country around sex education.”

Until 2019, Arizona had a “no promo homo” law banning schools promoting a “homosexual lifestyle,” portraying “homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle,” or suggesting “that some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex,” according to CNN. That law, which had been on the books since 1991, was repealed through legislative action and approved by Ducey’s signature.

Similar statutes, however, are still on the books in 5 states, according to the LGBTQ+ youth advocacy group GLSEN. These are Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, although a bill striking down Alabama’s law cleared the state House in March. It has yet to pass its Senate.

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