Florida lawmakers are considering House Bill 1223 and Senate Bill 1320, which would ban discussions in schools about gender and sexuality until ninth grade and bar teachers and contractors from referring to someone by a pronoun that doesn’t correspond with that person’s biological sex.
But one Polk County nonbinary student whose pronouns are them/they is touring around other rural Florida counties sharing perspective.
For Lola Smyth, opening up a sketchbook takes their creativity to a whole new world.
“It’s a good way to keep your mind off stuff when things get really hard,” Smyth said. “Personally, I feel like art is a beautiful way to keep things simple and easy.”
Smyth identifies as queer and nonbinary, something they knew since third grade. They use art to decompress from what’s going on in schools right now.
“There’s a bunch of stress happening with the bills being passed and stuff,” Smyth said. “Sometimes you just need to take your brain off of it. Sometimes I just sketch to keep my mind off of things.”
Smyth is talking about Florida’s Stop Woke Act and the Parental Rights in Education Act. The Stop Woke Act prohibits the teaching of critical race theory. While the Parental Rights in Education law prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for kindergarten through third grade, a law Smyth is speaking against.
“I can make just the same amount of change as an adult can,” Smyth said. “I may not have as much power. But you can show people you’re capable.”
Smyth told us that these laws are damaging to students, especially those who identify as LGBTQ+.
“When your rights are under attack and people are just trying to erase you and people aren’t representing you, you feel like you aren’t even a person anymore,” Smyth said.
That’s why Smyth is taking a stand — speaking at Polk County School Board meetings, in Lake County, and even in Tallahassee.
“Polk County is very much ‘don’t say gay. No, don’t do that. We don’t want you here if you’re not like everyone else.’ But it’s good that I’m here because sooner or later, that’ll change,” Smyth said.
Smyth said they hope by using their voice, will create change in other rural counties, as well as around the state.