“ she can face backlash from parents and administrator,” the user tweeted. One Twitter user responded to Larkins that such consequences were an inevitable side effect of the new law, and that his teacher may have become upset out of fear that she could be disciplined. Anyways, look at the lovely decor in my new classroom? /F4tO2H13j7 They switched me into a new class 5 weeks before the end of the school year.
I got my class switched, and the girl I asked to film for me got a referral. Larkins’ new history teacher has apparently hung up a Gadsden flag, a Revolutionary War-era flag that generally symbolizes opposition to government interference, particularly by the federal government, although in recent years it has been co-opted by some far-right groups as a symbol of opposition to progressive politics and social liberalism. Larkins claims school officials placed them under “investigation” for the presentation on the Stonewall Riots. Similar complaints of censorship and discrimination have been raised by at least two other LGBTQ high school students who are part of a group of plaintiffs suing over the law.Īfter the Washington Post story was published, Larkins claimed their history teacher became angry about the article and complained to administrators. Larkins says teachers will actively censor or shy away from LGBTQ content in order to avoid potential conflicts with parents. Larkins has previously argued that the bill contains overly vague language that could restrict discussions about LGBTQ issues or historical events from being broached in older grades if the material is not deemed to be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Some people condemned Larkins’ decision to wear a dress during his presentation, while others continued to insist the law does not apply to their age group - even though Larkins and their classmates are much older than students in grades K to 3, whom the law purports to protect. The video of Larkins’ lesson went viral on social media, but also garnered criticism from defenders of the law. Ron DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill into law, Larkins obtained permission from his teacher to give a presentation on the Stonewall Riots in their history class, knowing it could trigger backlash from school officials seeking to comply with the new law.Īccording to The Washington Post, which reported on the controversy over the video, Larkins’ teacher was initially not even aware of what the Stonewall Riots were.īecause the history class had been learning about pivotal historical events from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Larkins claimed to have asked his teacher, “Are we going to learn about Stonewall?” The teacher allegedly responded, “What’s Stonewall?” One counterprotester, known as "Ryan the Satanist," was ejected from the event by group organizers after he was struck and fell to the ground.Republican Says Civil Rights Don’t Apply To Gay Peopleįollowing Gov. Batons out," said a tweet from a reporter on the scene. The parade began a short time after, and police began using physical force to maintain order as emotions on both sides ran high. donning a glittering "Make America Great Again" hat.
Yiannopoulos was first spotted shortly before 1 p.m. Video and pictures show a significant presence of counterprotests as the parade got closer to its starting point. Some reports indicated that police were limiting the amount of participants in the parade, and at least one arrest of a counterprotester was made. There seemed to be some confusion about when the parade was meant to begin, and chief organizer from Super Happy Fun America John Hugo was overheard telling parade participants, "Don't worry, Milo will be here." Some videos shared to social media showed a small amount of protesters booing the parade participants, but no violent clashes have been reported.
The Proud Boys, a far-right group that often clashes with far-left antifa during demonstrations and gatherings, are also expected to make an appearance in Boston for the Saturday parade.Īs of early Saturday afternoon, severe conflicts seemed to be held at bay. "I might technically be a sequined and perfectly coiffed friend of Dorothy's, but I’ve spent my entire career advocating for the rights of America’s most brutally repressed identity - straight people - so I know a thing or two about discrimination," he said at the time. Yiannopoulos, who is openly gay, defended the mission of the parade in a June statement.