WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — South Florida tennis star Coco Gauff has something to say about a Florida bill that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for students in certain grade levels.
"I'm against it," Gauff, 17, told reporters Wednesday ahead of her first match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. "I think these conversations are important, and for me, who has friends in the LGBTQ+ community, I couldn't imagine not being able to talk about your identity. I feel that's something that is normal."
The Parental Rights in Education measure, more commonly referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, recently passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is a proponent of the bill and is expected to sign it into law.
"Every [LGBTQ+] person I've known has known that they were part of that community since they were young," Gauff said. "I think it's important that they have those conversations in school, because that is supposed to be a safe space to talk about everything."
Gauff, who is from Delray Beach, is the youngest player to be ranked among the top 100 by the Women's Tennis Association.
