Florida GOP representative comes under fire for sex ed bill that will BAN girls from talking about periods in school

A Florida state representative has admitted that his proposed new bill to crack down on sex education in schools would ban girls from discussing menstruation.

Stan McClain, a Republican representing Ocala, conceded that bills barring boys under the sixth grade from receiving sex education lessons would prohibit fourth- and fifth-grade girls from discussing menstruation.

State Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Democrat, asked during a hearing on Wednesday: “So if girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth or fourth grade, will that prohibit them from having conversations since they are below sixth grade?”

McClain replied: ‘I would.’ She later tried to claim that the bill would not seek to punish fourth or fifth grade girls who came to their teachers with problems or concerns about menstruation.

Ashley Gantt clashed with McClain over her bill, which ended up passing by a 13-5 majority.

The legislator said he would also be “open” to amendments if they were suggested to him.

Despite the controversy, McClain’s bill passed with a comfortable 13-5 majority.

Gantt was among those who voted against the bill, calling it “appalling.”

Speaking to the Washington Post after the bill passed, she said, “I thought it was pretty remarkable that the start of a girl’s menstrual cycle was not contemplated when they drafted this bill.”

McClain’s legislation, whose full title is House Bill 1069, prohibits sex education below the sixth grade, when children are 11 and 12 years old.

Girls can start their period at age eight, and doctors have reported a large increase in girls starting puberty early during COVID.

Bill 1069 also prohibits the teaching of subjects including sexually transmitted diseases and human sexuality below the sixth grade.

It was further condemned as “ridiculous” by Planned Parenthood, whose Florida spokeswoman Annie Filkowski said: “This bill shines a bright light on the perpetual thirst for power and control of Florida’s political leaders.”

McClain says he would be open to an amendment to his bill that would allow fourth and fifth grade girls to talk about terms at school.

Florida is at the forefront of conservative efforts to reshape education.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ parental rights in education bill caused a great deal of controversy, but was eventually passed.

The so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill banned instruction on gender and sexuality issues from kindergarten through third grade.

Disney’s vocal opposition to the bill prompted DeSantis, touted as a likely 2024 presidential candidate, to remove the entertainment giant’s stand-alone status at his Orlando resort.

Florida is also now in the process of seeking to ban doctors and nurses from providing so-called gender-affirming care to children who identify as transgender.

That includes puberty blockers and top surgeries: mastectomies.

DeSantis and supporters of the proposals say that those under the age of 18 should not be allowed to make potentially permanent changes to their bodies that they may later regret.

Critics of those proposals say helping transgender children get physically closer to their identifying gender does wonders for their mental health.

American medical bodies align with this belief, but more liberal citizens, including the United Kingdom and Norway, have drastically reduced medical interventions for trans children.

Instead, they are now focusing on providing therapy to young people to try to ensure that those who say they are trans understand all the ramifications of medical treatment.