A student was told not to say ‘gay’ in his speech so he did this and it’s simply brilliant
This student’s Florida high school speech has gone wildly viral after he told how he was told he wasn’t allowed to say ‘gay’ in his graduation speech.
Zander Moricz has been a prominent campaigner against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law but said he was told not to share his experience as a gay student or how the law will affect students like him in his graduation speech.
So he talked about something else instead – well, sort of – and it’s simply brilliant.
florida high school class president zander moricz was told by his school that they would cut his microphone if he said “gay” in his grad speech, so he replaced gay with “having curly hair.” i am in awe pic.twitter.com/OqLbar5bwq
— matt (@mattxiv) May 24, 2022
For a little bit of extra context, here’s what Zander said a few days back on Twitter.
I am the youngest public plaintiff in the “Don’t Say Gay” lawsuit. I am my Florida high school’s first openly-gay Class President. I am being silenced, and I need your help. 🧵
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
A few days ago, my principal called me into his office and informed me that if my graduation speech referenced my activism or role as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, school administration had a signal to cut off my microphone, end my speech, and halt the ceremony. (2/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
I am the first openly-gay Class President in my school’s history–this censorship seems to show that they want me to be the last. This threat is not the first that I have received from administration about my queer rights. (3/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
When administration discovered that I was organizing a Say Gay walkout, they had all our posters ripped from the walls and told me to shut down the protest. They said they would send school security if I did not listen. (4/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
I held the walkout anyways, and it became our county’s largest protest. I won’t give into threats and I won’t be silenced. I have a plan to fight back again, and this time, I need your help. (5/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
The SEE Initiative has secured 10,000 Say Gay stickers that we’re prepared to ship to high school seniors across Florida. We want you to wear them on your gowns as you cross the graduation stage, reminding underclassmen that we’re done with highschool, not the fight. (6/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
Fill out the form to get your stickers now. https://t.co/km20DBYuoT For all the kids who are not graduating and not escaping, we must say gay. #advocategraduate #saygay (7/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
Read my statement for the full story. (8/8) @SocialEqAndEd pic.twitter.com/8GffWiPYSw
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
And here are just a few of the many, many things people were saying about his speech.
1.
https://twitter.com/cononeilluk/status/1529456968418705409?s=20&t=k6YvLln9KiPS5J0TsXVlBA
2.
"Now I'm happy." 🏳️🌈 God damn to hell anyone trying to legislate against and deprive this happiness. https://t.co/MQUJDnAfNd
— Elyse Willems (@ElyseWillems) May 24, 2022
3.
wow. he did amazing at getting around it but it is disgusting that hes being censored
— Gray (@rainygray249) May 24, 2022
4.
Florida:
Zander Moricz just became a legend… https://t.co/wRSVjspKk1
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) May 24, 2022
5.
I hope that the “educators” that censored him feel as shameful and small as this brilliant kid has made them seem https://t.co/5wj9olYD2R
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) May 24, 2022
6.
@zandermoricz u did all us curly haired gays proud today, so proud of u bestie😭😭😭😭
— Bluey (@bhattaccharyya) May 24, 2022
7.
It is 2022 and children are having to use coded language to protect themselves from a fascist rule limiting their speech. I celebrate this kid for pushing on… but shame on every single cowardly person who pushed for speech to be so limited. Queer people deserve freedom too. https://t.co/EhzwD6fkJw
— Konner Knudsen 🏳️🌈 (@PenBerzerker) May 24, 2022
8.
The children in Texas deserved to grow up into brave teenagers like this hero in Florida. The Republican party doesn’t care about any of them. Not their happiness, not their truth. Not their lives. https://t.co/RdTkoxEBgR
— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) May 25, 2022
9.
wtf why would they censor the word “gay” from a scholar’s speech?
Doesn’t feel very “free speech” but oh well it’s just the 1st amendment 🇺🇸🗑
— Quells (@adamwfitzgerald) May 24, 2022
10.
this is the greatest thing you will watch today https://t.co/kjIWYltLe0
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) May 24, 2022
11.
despite all the Tweets about how inspiring and moving this is, TEENAGERS USING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH TO BEG ADULTS TO REVERSE GOVERNMENT-IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON SUPPORT FOR LGBT STUDENTS ISN’T INSPIRATIONAL, IT’S A SIGN THAT SOMETHING HAS GONE VERY WRONG https://t.co/wDZdyGjoyP
— Alexander (@purplechrain) May 24, 2022
In three words.
Brilliant and poignant. https://t.co/wut7kklfrF
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 25, 2022
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Source Twitter @mattxiv