March 7, 2022
Watch: 'Gay! Gay! Gay!' Chants Kate McKinnon in Response to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Bill
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
"Saturday Night Live" didn't shirk from taking on Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill as Kate McKinnon addressed it on Weekend Update.
In the segment, the Insider reports, with co-anchor Colin Jost, the 38-year old McKinnon initially seemed a bit confused about what the "Don't Say Gay" bill was.�
"I heard about this law, and I think it's amazing," the out comic said. "When I was in middle school, in the '90s, I was kind of tortured by the constant use of the word 'gay.' Like, you know, 'That's so gay,' or 'Ew, you're gay.' It made me feel horrible."�
"And in Florida of all places!" she added.�
"Formerly known as the�Parental Rights Education bill, it would ban discussions about sex and gender in Florida's primary schools. It also encourages parents to sue schools or teachers who address the subject," writes the Insider.
It has the support of Florida governor Ron DeSantos, who defended the bill last Friday to a group of students, "When you actually look at the bill and it says " no="" sexual="" instruction="" to="" kids="" pre-K="" through="" three,'="" how="" many="" parents="" want="" their="" kids="" to="" have="" transgenderism="" or="" something="" injected="" into="" classroom="" instruction?"="" DeSantis="" said.="" "It's="" basically="" saying="" for="" our="" younger="" students,="" do="" you="" really="" want="" them="" being="" taught="" about="" sex?="" And="" this="" is="" any="" sexual="" stuff.="" But="" I="" think="" clearly="" right="" now,="" we="" see="" a="" focus="" on="" transgenderism,="" telling="" kids="" they="" may="" be="" able="" to="" pick="" genders="" and="" all="" of="" that."
The bill has passed the Florida House. It is expected to pass the Senate on Monday.
"The bill is designed to limit how the LGBTQ community is discussed in public school classrooms by restricting conversations, considered 'instruction,' particularly related to the youngest elementary children. But those limitations could be felt in higher grades," adds CBS News.
"The bill allows parents to sue school districts if they are not privy to situations related to their children or if their students are encouraged to have discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity."
Weekend Update host Colin Jost corrected McKinnon on her misreading of the bill. ""I feel like there's been a misunderstanding," he told her. "The law actually means that you can't acknowledge that gay exists at all... teachers can't speak about gay people in history or if a kid has a gay family member... and if a kid confides that they're gay to a teacher, the teacher has to out them to their parents."
A shocked McKinnon repeated "What?" numerous times, before saying' target='_blank'> "I am deeply gay – sorry, concerned. Deeply concerned. It just feels like this is gonna make kids gay and trans – sorry, depressed and suicidal – and I think these laws are lesbians. Sorry! Unconscionable. Unconscionable," cracked McKinnon. "I'm trying to make sense of all this. Does this 'Don't Say Gay' law have a purpose?"
Jost did not answer. At that point, McKinnon led the audience in chanting "Gay! Gay! Gay!" �to the tune of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water."
Representatives for Kate McKinnon did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.�
