Reisha Shetty Junior Digital Writer

Camila Cabello recently launched her ‘Protect Our Kids’ fund in the wake of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law. Established in a partnership with Equality Florida and Lambda Legal, this fund focuses on protecting students and families from the law by creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ kids as well as providing funds for all the teachers, students, and families that have been affected by the new legislation.

To promote the cause and the fund, the ‘Bam Bam’ singer organised a benefit concert on May 8, along with many special performances by Valentina from RuPaul’s Drag Race, trans singer-songwriter Shea Diamond, and a local choir group. “As someone who grew up and still lives in Florida, I am appalled that my home state is putting the health and lives of young Floridians at risk by passing this law and inviting discrimination into our schools. We must protect every student and respect every family,” said Cabello.

In March 2022, Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis signed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that discouraged discussions around sexual orientation or gender identity in schools in class groups from Kindergarten to third grade. This bill immediately caused a massive backlash among the citizens since it encourages anti-LGBTQ+ ideologies and contributes to the social stigma.

The bill also imposes a parental notification policy that could adversely affect the mental well-being of kids from the LGBTQ+ community. The school is now expected to inform the parents about any support they’ve provided to the child, which could potentially ‘out’ a lot of kids without their consent to guardians who may or may not be supportive.

Here’s hoping more celebrities start these kind of initiatives to support community.