FL Student Can?t Say ?Gay? In Grad Speech, Discusses His Curls Instead

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL ? After Pine View School?s principal threatened to cut power to his microphone if he mentioned his LGBTQ activism during his graduation speech, the school?s openly gay senior class president came up with a creative solution: using his curly hair as a metaphor.

Calling his curls ?a very public part of my identity? in a video shared by WWSB, Zander Moricz told those attending Sunday?s graduation at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, ?I used to hate my curls. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them, trying desperately to straighten this part of who I am. But the daily damage of trying to fix myself became too much to endure."

The youngest plaintiff on a lawsuit filed against Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Education and others over Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, Moricz never once mentioned LGBTQ issues or his activism outright. Instead, he referenced his curls throughout his speech.

?While having curly hair in Florida is difficult due to the humidity, I decided to be proud of who I was and start coming to school as my authentic self,? he said in his metaphor before a graduation audience.

The state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics, named the Parental Rights in Education bill, limits how gender identity and sexual orientation are discussed in the state's public-school classrooms. Earlier this year, the bill was passed by both the state Senate and House, and then signed into law by DeSantis at the end of March.

Moricz has opposed the bill from the start, helping to organize and host a March rally against the then-proposed law in Sarasota with Project Pride SRQ and Equality Florida. He later organized a student walkout over the "Don't Say Gay" legislation, earning the ire of Pine View's administration, he tweeted.

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• FL's 'Don't Say Gay' Lawsuit Has Ties To Sarasota County Student
• Principal Threatened To Cut Off Grad Speech, Sarasota Student Says

In a series of tweets shared May 10, he said the school?s ?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."

In a statement provided by Kelsey Whealy, the district?s media relations specialist, Sarasota County Schools said all speeches at graduation are reviewed and approved by each school?s administration ?to be sure it is appropriate to the tone of the ceremony.?

The district said, ?Out of respect for all those attending the graduation, students are reminded that a graduation should not be a platform for personal political statements, especially those likely to disrupt the ceremony. Should a student vary from this expectation during the graduation, it may be necessary to take appropriate action.?

Whealy also provided a statement from Pine View?s principal, Dr. Stephen Covert, who said, ?We honor and celebrate the incredible diversity in thought, belief, and background in our school, and champion the uniqueness of every single student on their personal and educational journey.?

During his graduation speech, Moricz said his teachers and friends at Pine View helped him come to terms with his ?curly hair.?

?It was a messy and twisted growth process, but eventually I did it,? he said. ?It was because of the love I?ve drawn from this community that I came out to my family. Now, I?m happy. ? And that is what is at stake. There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View, and they won?t have one. Instead, they?ll try to fix themselves so they can try to exist in Florida?s human climate.?

He also recognized Covert during his speech, saying, ?My principal has always loved my curls and me. Those who we have given our power to are the reason I have to stand here and talk about my hair during my graduation speech.?

Moricz encouraged his peers to ?claim (their) power and give it to those who must protect us.?

He added, ?When you waste your power, what you?re really doing is giving it to whoever has the most already and right now those with the most power are coming for those with the least. We should not have to deal with this, but we?re ready.?