A bill introduced by Republicans, who run this conservative state, could ban education about menstrual cycles in school for little girls, preventing them from discussing it with their teachers.
A bill in Florida, where Republicans recently introduced a series of highly controversial bills, could ban education about menstrual cycles in school for little girls, preventing them from discussing it with their teachers, acknowledged an elected official from that state this week.
During a session of an education committee in the Florida legislature, an elected Democrat, Ashley Gantt, questioned her Republican colleague Stan McClain about his bill, providing that sexual health education could not have place only from a certain class, in which the children are generally aged 11 to 12 years.
The Democratic Party denounces
“Does this bill prohibit conversations about menstrual cycles?” asked Ashley Gantt. If little girls are younger than the set age, “would that prohibit discussions on their part?” “Yes, it would,” replied Stan McClain.
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 12 and 13, but some may get it several years earlier, according to the American Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians.
“Imagine a little girl (…) going to the toilet and finding blood in her panties, and thinking that she is going to die”, was offended Ashley Gantt. “And his teacher doesn’t even get to tell him that’s part of life.”
Stan McClain clarified a little later that the spirit of this bill was not to punish young girls asking questions to their teachers, and that it was open to amendments, according to several American media.
Several measures against access to abortion
Stan McClain’s bill is part of a set of texts that could permanently transform the education system in Florida.
The governor of this state in the south of the United States, Ron DeSantis, openly flirts with a presidential candidacy in 2024 and has pledged to make his state a laboratory of conservative ideas.
At the beginning of the month, he presented a series of measures, which also targeted, for example, access to treatment for transgender minors, or even access to abortion.
Schools must provide “quality education” and not “political indoctrination”, he said.
All these texts have a very good chance of being adopted given the enormous influence which the 44-year-old Republican enjoys on his party, which has the majority in both chambers of the Florida Parliament.
