Earlier in the month, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 12, a new law that will force LGBTQ+ student clubs in K-12 schools across Texas to disband. This means clubs like the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), which have been a safe space for queer students to find support for years, will not be allowed anymore in Texas schools come this September.
This bill comes after Senate Bill 17 which banned Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at public higher education institutions in 2023.
Republicans argue that this bill might just be a way to give parents a little bit more control over what their kids are exposed to, but in the eyes of LGBTQ+ youth, this could be a way to take away the only space that some students feel welcomed in.
Jared Lutu, a recent high school graduate, has witnessed the impact of LGBTQ+ student clubs during his time in school and believes its presence is more important now than ever.
“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am a strong advocate of clubs for younger generations to explore and discover new exciting things about themselves, I believe that such sensitive topics should be introduced to young minds in order for them to understand them better as they mature,” Lutu said. “Our world is and will forever be a hateful place. The only thing we can do as a community is continuing to advocate for ourselves and for each other, and that starts with our youth.”
Graduating in the class of 2025, Lutu and many other graduates barley completed K-12 school before these restrictions will take effect and leave their LGBTQ+ underclassmen peers without the support that they once had.
Senate Bill 12 will also prohibit a school’s faculty and staff from using pronouns or names for student that have a preference that differs from what they were assigned at birth. Even if a student has permission from their parents, school districts will now have the authority to ignore these changes.
While transitioning is already hard for students, the bill adds another barrier for transgender students to be seen for who they are.
The timing of this bill has also sparked criticism by advocates, as it came at the start of Pride Month, a time of empowerment meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ identity and progress. Critics say the move overshadows the month’s message and contributes to a broader sense of hate directed toward the community. Like many others, Lutu also believes that these clubs offer more than support; they help build an understanding of peace.
“These clubs being implemented in our youth should not be seen as a threat, but as a means of creating peace,” Lutu said. “We cannot move on to a better future without the ability to repair and release the wounds of our past.”
Since receiving Governor Greg Abbott’s signature on June 20, the bill will take effect on Sept. 1, and carry out for the 2025-2026 school year, and clubs some Texas students once relied on will no longer exist.
Iziah Moreno is the photo editor and may be reached [email protected]
