The former law banned public educational instruction that “promotes a homosexual lifestyle, portrays homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle and suggested that some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex.”
For nearly 30 years this harmful and discriminatory law tied educators’ hands and prevented LGBTQ youth, and all students, from receiving information that impacted their health, safety and wellness.
Equality Arizona, with some student members, brought a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Education. This lawsuit helped to spur the legislature to action.
“We are tremendously gratified that Arizona lawmakers and elected officials came so quickly to realize how harmful the anti-LGBTQ curriculum law is, and moved so rapidly to repeal it,” said Michael Soto, Executive Director, Equality Arizona. “A state law that explicitly demeaned and dismissed LGBTQ students and their relationships could not help but encourage abuse and discrimination at school. We are glad to see it erased from the books and are grateful to the LGBTQ leaders and allies who made the repeal possible.”