Florida high school senr and class print Zanr Moricz was told he uld not say "gay" durg his graduatn speech at Pe View School Sarasota County. If he did e the word — forbidn thanks to Ron DeSantis' discrimatory "Don't Say Gay" law — the school would cut his microphone. So he me up…
Contents:
- TOLD NOT TO SAY ‘GAY’ GRADUATN SPEECH, HE MA HIS POT ANYWAY
- A FLORIDA CLASS PRINT ULDN’T DISCS BEG GAY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATN SPEECH – SO HE TALKED ABOUT HIS CURLY HAIR
- FLORIDA STUNT FDS CLEVER WAY TO SHRED 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW IN GRADUATN SPEECH
- FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOLER COULDN’T TALK ABOUT BEG GAY GRADUATN SPEECH, SO HE TALKED ABOUT HIS “CURLY HAIR”
- THIS FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WASN’T ALLOWED TO SAY GAY HIS GRADUATN SPEECH
- WATCH: FLORIDA STUNT TOLD NOT TO SAY "GAY" GRADUATN SPEECH SO HE A WORD THAT WORKS BETIFULLY
- A SARASOTA STUNT SAYS HE N'T DISCS 'DON'T SAY GAY' HIS GRADUATN SPEECH
- HIGH SCHOOL GRAD ULDN’T SAY ‘GAY’ SPEECH, SO HE DID THIS STEAD
- VALEDICTORIAN CLAIMS HE COULDN'T DELIVER GRADUATN SPEECH BEE HE'S GAY
- FLA. CLASS PRINT TOLD HE ULDN’T SPEAK ABOUT BEG GAY HAIR METAPHOR
- FLA. CLASS PRINT TOLD HE ULDN’T SPEAK ABOUT BEG GAY HAIR METAPHOR
- FLA. CLASS PRINT TOLD HE ULDN’T SPEAK ABOUT BEG GAY HAIR METAPHOR
- SHOP 'GMA3' POWER HOUR ALS FOR LABOR DAY!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHNEWSFLORIDA HIGH SCHOOLER WHO SAYS HE WAS CENSORED GRADUATN SPEECH SPEAKS OUT7:19FLORIDA STUNT ALLEG HE WAS TOLD NOT TO MENTN ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ LAW BYNILE CURTIS AND LRA ZACROMAY 23, 2022, 11:34 AM•4 M READA FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WHO IS OPENLY GAY IS SPEAKG OUT AFTER HE SAYS HE WAS SUBJECTED TO CENSORSHIP BY SCHOOL OFFICIALS IF HE MENTNED THE STATE’S “PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN” LAW, ALSO LLED THE “DON’T SAY GAY” LAW BY CRICS, HIS GRADUATN SPEECH.ZANR MORICZ, A SENR AND THE PRINT OF HIS GRADUATG CLASS AT PE VIEW SCHOOL OSPREY, FLORIDA, CLAIMED HE WAS BEG “SILENCED” A TWTER THREAD TWO WEEKS AGO. HE WROTE, “MY PRCIPAL LLED ME TO HIS OFFICE AND RMED ME THAT IF MY GRADUATN SPEECH REFERENCED MY ACTIVISM OR ROLE AS A PLATIFF THE LAWSU, SCHOOL ADMISTRATN HAD A SIGNAL TO CUT OFF MY MICROPHONE, END MY SPEECH, AND HALT THE CEREMONY.”MORICZ IS ALSO ONE OF THE YOUNGT PLATIFFS A LAWSU FILED AGAST THE STATE OF FLORIDA OVER THE “PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN” LAW.THE 18-YEAR-OLD TOLD "GOOD MORNG AMERI" HE WAS WORRIED AHEAD OF THE SPEECH BUT FELT SUPPORTED BY HIS FELLOW CLASSMAT AND PEERS, SOME OF WHOM WORE “SAY GAY” STICKERS AND STOOD UP AND CHEERED DURG HIS SPEECH SUNDAY.“THERE WAS A LOT OF HATE AND A LOT OF FEAR SURROUNDG THE SPEECH ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WERE GOG TO DO IF SOMEONE WAS GOG TO REACT POORLY BEE WAS REALLY PRENT THE MUNY -- THAT HATRED AND THAT FEAR -- AND SO I WAS WORRIED AND I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL TO CUT THE MIC," HE TOLD "GOOD MORNG AMERI" MONDAY."TO HAVE A STANDG OVATN LIKE THAT AND A RPONSE LIKE THAT OM ALL OF THE PEOPLE WAS AMAZG,” HE SAID. "IT WAS REALLY A GREAT FALE FOR FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL."EDOR’S PICKSLAWSU FILED AGAST FLORIDA'S SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW WH DAYS OF SIGNGMAR 31, 2022'WHAT PARENTS ARE THEY SUPPORTG?': MOMS SPEAK OUT AGAST 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAWMAR 30, 2022FLORIDA ERNOR SIGNS NTROVERSIAL 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL TO LAWMAR 28, 2022MORE: DO AMERINS SUPPORT FLORIDA'S NEW PARENTAL RIGHTS TN LAW?MORICZ, AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOTE FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS, REFERRED TO HIS "CURLY HAIR" AS A PHEMISM FOR BEG GAY HIS SPEECH.“THIS CHARACTERISTIC HAS PROBABLY BEE THE FIRST THG YOU THK OF WHEN YOU THK OF ME AS A HUMAN BEG. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE CURLY HAIR,” MORICZ SAID HIS SPEECH.“THERE ARE GOG TO BE SO MANY KIDS WH CURLY HAIR WHO NEED A MUNY LIKE PE VIEW AND THEY WILL NOT HAVE ONE. INSTEAD, THEY’LL TRY TO FIX THEMSELV SO THAT THEY N EXIST FLORIDA’S HUMID CLIMATE,” HE NTUED.MORE: TEACHERS SPEAK OUT AS FLORIDA’S 'DON’T SAY GAY' BILL HEADS TO DESANTIS' SKSEEMG TO TRY TO WALK A FE LE BETWEEN FOLLOWG THE LAW AND ALLOWG MORICZ TO LIVER HIS SPEECH AS CLASS PRINT, PE VIEW SCHOOL APPROVED HIS PHEMISM-LAN REMARKS ADVANCE.IN A STATEMENT RELEASED BEFORE GRADUATN, THE SCHOOL SAID PART: “STUNTS ARE REMD THAT A GRADUATN SHOULD NOT BE A PLATFORM FOR PERSONAL POLIL STATEMENTS … SHOULD A STUNT VARY OM THIS EXPECTATN DURG THE GRADUATN, MAY BE NECSARY TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTN.”MORICZ SAID HAVG TO MODIFY HIS GRADUATN SPEECH WAS MORE THAN JT DISAPPOTG.“IT WAS A REALLY HUMANIZG CISN BEE I HAD TO TAKE SOMETHG I HAD WRTEN AND ... I HAD TO FD A WAY TO BE CLEVER TO DISCS WHO I WAS,” HE SAID. "BEE THE DISTRICT AFFIRMED THAT THEY SUPPORTED ACTN IF I BROUGHT UP THE LAWSU OR THE ADVOCY AROUND , I KNEW THAT THE THREAT TO CUT THE MIC WAS VERY REAL, SO I WASN'T GOG TO LET THAT HAPPEN AND I JT HAD TO BE CLEVER ABOUT . BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO BE BEE I DON'T EXIST A PHEMISM AND I SERVE TO BE CELEBRATED AS IS.”MORICZ’S ATTORNEY, ROBERTA KAPLAN, CLAIMS THE “PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN” LAW WAS WRTEN TO BE OVERLY BROAD AND OPEN-END ON PURPOSE.“ZANR WAS CENSORED AND HE SHOULDN’T HAVE HAD TO CENSOR HIMSELF AND NOT BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHO HE REALLY IS AT HIS MENCEMENT SPEECH," KAPLAN TOLD "GMA." “THIS IS JT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. THE LAW SELF WAS LIBERATELY WRTEN TO BE AS VAGUE AND AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE. SO WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SAW WH ZANR AND OBVLY APPLI TO MENCEMENT. WE SAW THAT JT YTERDAY, AND APPLI MANY, MANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANC.”MORICZ CREDS ONE OF HIS TEACHERS FOR HELPG HIM E OUT AS A YOUNG TEENAGER AND SAID THE LAW WOULD PREVENT OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE OM FEELG SAFE AND PROTECTED TO DO SO.“WHAT THIS LAW DO IS, EFFECTIVELY TAK AWAY THE ONLY GUARANTEED SAFE SPACE OM THE MAJORY OF THE ENTIRE LGBTQ POPULATN HERE," HE SAID. "THAT'S HORRIFYG BEE WHAT YOU THEN HAVE IS SO MANY CHILDREN BEG FORCED TO MAKE THE CHOICE BETWEEN G OUT UNSAFELY OR NOT G OUT AT ALL.”MORICZ SAID HE PLANS ON ADVOTG FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AND IS STUDYG ERNMENT AT HARVARD UNIVERSY THE FALL."I'M GOG TO BE NCENTRATG ERNMENT SO I N TRY AND FIX THE SAME PROBLEMS I'M TRYG TO FIX NOW,” HE SAID.EDOR’S PICKSLAWSU FILED AGAST FLORIDA'S SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW WH DAYS OF SIGNGMAR 31, 2022'WHAT PARENTS ARE THEY SUPPORTG?': MOMS SPEAK OUT AGAST 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAWMAR 30, 2022FLORIDA ERNOR SIGNS NTROVERSIAL 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL TO LAWMAR 28, 2022UP NEXT NEWS—HURRINE IDALIA TEARS THROUGH CRYSTAL RIVER, A SAFE HAVEN FOR MANATEAUGT 31, 2023FAY OF SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR SPEAKS OUT ‘GMA’ EXCLIVE TERVIEWAUGT 31, 2023COLLEGE NEWSPAPER FEATUR STUNTS' FEARFUL TEXTS AMID ADLY SHOOTG LOCKDOWNAUGT 30, 2023SHOCKG VIO SHOWS PACKAGE STOLEN OM HANDS OF FEDEX WORKER VIRGIAAUGT 30, 2023UP NEXT NEWS—HURRINE IDALIA TEARS THROUGH CRYSTAL RIVER, A SAFE HAVEN FOR MANATEAUGT 31, 2023FAY OF SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR SPEAKS OUT ‘GMA’ EXCLIVE TERVIEWAUGT 31, 2023COLLEGE NEWSPAPER FEATUR STUNTS' FEARFUL TEXTS AMID ADLY SHOOTG LOCKDOWNAUGT 30, 2023SHOCKG VIO SHOWS PACKAGE STOLEN OM HANDS OF FEDEX WORKER VIRGIAAUGT 30, 2023
TOLD NOT TO SAY ‘GAY’ GRADUATN SPEECH, HE MA HIS POT ANYWAY
A Florida high school graduate says he was told not to say "gay" his graduatn speech. So he said "curly hair" stead. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
Senr Class Print Zanr Moricz was tapped wh givg a mencement speech at Pe View School Osprey, Fla., but was given a rtrictn not normally attached to such an openly gay activist who is the youngt platiff a lawsu agast a new state law that rtricts what teachers n say class about genr and sexual orientatn, the teenager said publicly that he had been warned by his prcipal not to mentn his activism or say the word “gay. Kelsey Whealy, a spokwoman for Sarasota County Schools, said a May 10 email that Pe View’s prcipal “did meet wh Zanr Moricz to remd him of the ceremony expectatns” but did not say he had been told not to say “gay.
”The Parental Rights Edutn bill — which crics have labeled the “don’t say gay” bill — was signed March 28 by Florida Gov.
The law go to effect July platiffs the lawsu allege that the law harms LGBTQ stunts and fai and vlat their First Amendment right to eedom of speech, as well as their nstutnal right to equal protectn unr the n watch Moricz’s speech here:florida high school class print zanr moricz was told by his school that they would cut his microphone if he said “gay” his grad speech, so he replaced gay wh “havg curly hair.
A FLORIDA CLASS PRINT ULDN’T DISCS BEG GAY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATN SPEECH – SO HE TALKED ABOUT HIS CURLY HAIR
The class print at a Florida high school says he wasn’t allowed to share his experience as a gay stunt his graduatn speech or how the state’s so-lled “Don’t Say Gay” law will affect stunts like him, so he talked about somethg else that mak him a ltle different om his classmat – his curly hair. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
48 hours later, 10, 000 Say Gay stickers were claimed across Florida. High school grad uldn't say 'gay' speech, so he did this stead. The class print at a Florida high school says he wasn’t allowed to share his experience as a gay stunt his graduatn speech or how the state’s so-lled “Don’t Say Gay” law will affect stunts like him, so he talked about somethg else that mak him a ltle different om his classmat – his curly hair.
Moricz me out durg his hman year and was the first openly-gay class print at the school, so he felt a rponsibily to addrs the ntroversy. A Florida high school stunt opted for a hair metaphor after he says faculty members threatened to censor his graduatn speech if he spoke about his LGBTQ activism or experienc as a gay teen. Zanr Moricz, senr class print of Pe View School for the Gifted Osprey, Florida, planned to e his speech on Sunday to cricize the state’s Parental Rights Edutn, or “Don’t Say Gay” law.
So, when Moricz, 18, livered his speech at Pe View’s graduatn ceremony, he shared quips about his curly hair as phemisms for beg gay.
FLORIDA STUNT FDS CLEVER WAY TO SHRED 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW IN GRADUATN SPEECH
When Zanr Moricz was told he uldn't talk about beg gay his high school graduatn speech, he employed a clever metaphor. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
He also anized stunt walkouts prott of the “Don’t Say Gay” law, and is named a lawsu agast the state of Florida related to the legislatn. If he was gog to cricize Florida’s new “Don’t Say Gay” law, the school admistratn would cut his mic mid-speech.
Moricz, an openly gay stunt, had been volved LGBTQ+ activism prr to the ceremony.
“I am the first openly-gay Class Print my school’s history–this censorship seems to show that they want me to be the last, ” he tweeted. To get around the school’s directive while still beg te to himself, Moricz employed a clever metaphor his speech: he talked about his curly hair as a phemism for beg gay.
FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOLER COULDN’T TALK ABOUT BEG GAY GRADUATN SPEECH, SO HE TALKED ABOUT HIS “CURLY HAIR”
* high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
I am the youngt public platiff the “Don’t Say Gay” lawsu. I am my Florida high school’s first openly-gay Class Print. I am the first openly-gay Class Print my school’s history–this censorship seems to show that they want me to be the last.
When admistratn disvered that I was anizg a Say Gay walkout, they had all our posters ripped om the walls and told me to shut down the prott. Florida high school senr and class print Zanr Moricz was told he uld not say "gay" durg his graduatn speech at Pe View School Sarasota County.
THIS FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WASN’T ALLOWED TO SAY GAY HIS GRADUATN SPEECH
The class print at a Florida high school says he wasn’t allowed to share his experience as a gay stunt his graduatn speech or how the state’s so-lled “Don’t Say Gay” law will affect stunts like him, so he got creative. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
If he did e the word — forbidn thanks to Ron DeSantis' discrimatory "Don't Say Gay" law — the school would cut his microphone. So he me up wh a brilliant work-around, liverg both a poignant and humoro graduatn speech by substutg the word "gay" wh "curly hair.
Florida high school class print zanr moricz was told by his school that they would cut his microphone if he said "gay" his grad speech, so he replaced gay wh "havg curly hair. Ron DeSantis's discrimatory "Don't Say Gay" law. Pe View School for the Gifted class print Zanr Moricz ed his graduatn speech on Sunday to ll out Florida's recently enacted "Don't Say Gay" law--but he did not mentn the measure or the lawsu challengg , for which he is one of the else did he not explicly mentn?
A Sarasota County high school stunt — and one of the platiffs a lawsu agast what crics ll the 'Don't Say Gay' law — says he has been told to keep his activism out of his graduatn law, formally tled "Parental Rights Edutn, " was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed to law by Gov. He spoke to WUSF last month about his need to fight agast the "Don't Say Gay" law. "READ MORE: A Sarasota stunt fears the so-lled 'Don't Say Gay' law will harm LGBTQ kids' school experienceIn a statement, the Sarasota County School district says that schools review expectatns and guil for speech, as well as stunts' speech.
WATCH: FLORIDA STUNT TOLD NOT TO SAY "GAY" GRADUATN SPEECH SO HE A WORD THAT WORKS BETIFULLY
A high school senr Longmont says he uldn't liver his school's valedictorian speech bee he planned to announce that he was gay his speech. The school says they ncelled his appearance bee of somethg else. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
The class print at a Florida high school says he wasn't allowed to share his experience as a gay stunt his graduatn speech or how the state's so-lled "Don't Say Gay" law will affect stunts like him, so he got creative.
A SARASOTA STUNT SAYS HE N'T DISCS 'DON'T SAY GAY' HIS GRADUATN SPEECH
The senr class print was warned not to speak about his experience as a gay stunt or cricize the state's “Don’t Say Gay” law durg his graduatn speech. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
(CBS4)- A high school senr Longmont says he uldn't liver his school's valedictorian speech bee he planned to announce that he was gay his speech.
HIGH SCHOOL GRAD ULDN’T SAY ‘GAY’ SPEECH, SO HE DID THIS STEAD
Zanr Moricz was barred om sayg "gay" his graduatn speech, but he got around the prohibn a creative manner. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
"We ially said to ourselv, 'Well maybe this is not the fom' but when we read the speech and the ntext of 'I'm gay, I'm different, we're all different, we should all accept each other' that was the ntext, " said Evan's mother Alise Corry. Out Boulr, a gay advocy anizatn, said has received emails of support for Evan om around the untry.
Evan's parents said they found out their son was gay through the school's prcipal. He had been warned not to speak about his experience as a gay stunt, but he found a workaround by g his hair as a metaphor, WWSB Moricz, the senr class print of Pe View School for the Gifted, wanted to e his graduatn speech Sunday to speak about his experience as a gay stunt or cricize Florida Hoe Bill 1557, lled “Parental Rights Edutn” but lloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Zanr Moricz, the gay Florida class print barred om sayg "gay" his graduatn speech, got around the prohibn a clever is the first out class print at Pe View School Osprey.
VALEDICTORIAN CLAIMS HE COULDN'T DELIVER GRADUATN SPEECH BEE HE'S GAY
The senr class print was warned not to speak about his experience as a gay stunt or cricize the state's “Don’t Say Gay” law durg his graduatn speech. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *
His prcipal, Stephen Covert, had warned him agast discsg his gay inty and LGBTQ+ activism while speakg agast graduatn light of Florida's recently adopted "don't say gay" law, which rtricts school-sponsored mentn of sexual orientatn and genr inty.
Managed to get his pots about beg gay across whout sayg the word. "I don't want him to be a victim this, " Tom Edwards, the gay man who is vice chair of the school board, told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A Florida high school stunt who is openly gay is speakg out after he says he was subjected to censorship by school officials if he mentned the state’s “Parental Rights Edutn” law, also lled the “Don’t Say Gay” law by crics, his graduatn Moricz, a senr and the print of his graduatg class at Pe View School Osprey, Florida, claimed he was beg “silenced” a Twter thread two weeks ago.
”Moricz is also one of the youngt platiffs a lawsu filed agast the state of Florida over the “Parental Rights Edutn” 18-year-old told "Good Morng Ameri" he was worried ahead of the speech but felt supported by his fellow classmat and peers, some of whom wore “Say Gay” stickers and stood up and cheered durg his speech Sunday. "Edor’s PicksMoricz, an outspoken advote for LGBTQ rights, referred to his "curly hair" as a phemism for beg gay his speech.
FLA. CLASS PRINT TOLD HE ULDN’T SPEAK ABOUT BEG GAY HAIR METAPHOR
The senr class print was warned not to speak about his experience as a gay stunt or cricize the state's “Don’t Say Gay” law durg his graduatn speech. * high school grad couldn't say 'gay' in speech *