Being an LGBTQ+ activist was something Sophia Casanova, a sophomore at American Heritage School, was passionate about. However, when she participated in pride parades and attended walkouts in protest of the so-called Don't Say Gay bill, she became disheartened. The reason? Though she wanted to fight for the liberties of high school students, she couldn't vote on the issue.

“Instead of embracing who I am, I have to fight for the LGBTQ+ community to feel welcomed in schools,” Casanova said. “And it really angers me that we have to continue to do so and that we high school students have barely any control over it.” 

As this fall’s pivotal midterm elections approach, high school students are not only focused on LGBTQ+ activism. Abortion issues, which were transformed by the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, concern many teens. 

Both of these issues are part of Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s conservative agenda to transform state government. And they will likely affect the state for decades, as today’s teenagers become voters and leaders themselves. 

“DeSantis has remade the political landscape in Florida,” wrote Floridian author Dexter Filkins in the “New Yorker” recently. “It seems conceivable that he could attempt something similar on a national level.”

Don’t Say Gay

LGBTQ+ teens are particularly concerned about the Parental Rights in Education Bill, the formal name given to the law that prohibits the teaching of gay issues to young students. Though the law is aimed at kindergarten through third graders, some fear the law may subject other grade levels to restrictions. Others believe that talk of sexuality and gender will be pushed back into the darkness of the 20th century. 

The so-called Don't Say Gay law was signed by DeSantis on March 28. The law went into effect on July 1.

Even if the bill is intended for children, Casanova believes that the misinterpretation of what is considered age-appropriate can be used in defense of any grade level, including in a high school classroom. With the cessation of these discussions, the significance of shining light on the LGBTQ+ community is starting to be seen as taboo. 

“As someone part of the LGBTQ+ community, I believe that there should not be restrictions on these conversations, especially in childhood,” Casanova said. “That’s where it starts [and]  now the restriction is moving to a bigger demographic of students.” 

Isabella Novarini, a Cypress Bay High School senior, argues that not being able to talk about gender and sexuality silences the LGBTQ+ community and harms their mental health. She notes that students who consider school a safe haven will find it more difficult to reach out for support.

“It’s really gonna showcase how many people don’t find the LGBTQ+ community important,” Novarini said. “This is just contributing to ignoring and not validating them either.”

Roe vs. Wade

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, teens have been taken aback by the overwhelming power the states have received over their bodies. While several teenage girls contend new limitations such as Florida’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks represent a significant setback for women's rights, others argue the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 2020 has withdrawn their rights years earlier. 

After nearly half a century of precedent, the Supreme Court concluded in late June that there is no constitutionally protected right to an abortion. As a result, state legislatures are deciding whether the practice is permissible. 

However, the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act, which prohibits most abortions after 15 weeks, was temporarily blocked by Florida judge John Cooper in early July. Antonella Malfi, a senior at Windermere High School near Orlando, claims that any additional restrictions put millions of girls' and women's health at risk.

“As teenagers, we are old enough to understand what’s happening,” Malfi said. “This country should really strive for more freedom rather than just restricting everyone's rights.”

Sofia Garcia, a 17-year-old student at Terra Environmental Research Institute in Miami, notes that parental permission rules may prevent high school females from obtaining a safe abortion. 

“Lots of families are strictly opposed to abortion or even any contraceptives, so it is important to allow teenagers to privately decide this for themselves,” Garcia said. “If no safe abortions are available, some people will consider dangerous home abortions as their only resort.”

Now teenagers are asking the big question: What’s next? Many members of the future generation of leaders are fighting for their fate by urging young people to register to vote.

Casanova is one of many adolescents who said they have felt frustrated by the lack of the ability to cast a vote. She emphasizes to voters that their choices are crucial and have the power to alter Florida's course away from the conservative agenda that DeSantis is advancing.

“If you’re able to vote, please do it because it makes such a difference,” Casanova said. “If you think your voice has no impact, know that it does, especially because it is our future that your decision depends on.”