INDIANAPOLIS — As House Bill 1608 passed out of the Education Committee inside the Indiana Statehouse Monday, many around the Hoosier State are raising concerns about the impact the bill could have in the classroom and on Indiana families.
"It makes me really proud, because I know she's standing up for her family and for what's important to her. And essentially, that's what we've always wanted for her," said Shelly Fitzgerald, whose daughter Sofia Warren-Fitzgerald testified against HB 1608 Monday morning.
Inside the Statehouse Monday morning, Shelly Fitzgerald looked on proudly as her daughter, Sofia, told lawmakers about her two moms, calling on lawmakers not to pass HB 1608 - a bill that would prevent kids of LGBTQ parents like her from being able to talk about her family at school.
"Family trees, that would not have been a thing. It would have been a stump, it would have been me and that would have been it. And that's horrible, it's horrible to think about," Sofia said.
Sofia said this bill would take away a child's ability to confide in a trusted teacher about their sexuality or talk about their family at school. In short, this bill has the potential to cut deep.
"That's a really young age to have to go through something like that and you are not in the place to be able to deal with that mentally. And that can really be a detriment to so many kids' mental health. It's just something that's unnecessary because it's hateful and mean," Sofia said.
And there are growing concerns that if HB 1608 is allowed to become law, it would hurt kids the hardest.
According to GLAAD, currently, 1 in 2 LGBTQ kids experience bullying. More than half won't report it, for fear of inaction. And nearly 2 in 3 LGBTQ kids who did report bullying say staff did nothing.
Zoe O'Haillin-Berne with Indiana Youth Group said there are concerns this bill could lead to increases in bullying and kids with fewer safe places to turn.
"I believe our services will be needed more than ever. I think a lot of youth will be looking for places to reach out especially as they discover maybe school is no longer going to be a safe place or they're dealing with things at school where they want to come and talk to a like-minded LGBTQ+ peer or adults. At IYG, our doors are wide open," O'Haillin-Berne said.
Fitzgerald, who was fired by an Indianapolis Catholic high school for her marriage to another woman, knows that the anti-LGBTQ sentiment can leave deep scars. She said she wants her family to be visible in the community for her daughter, to help her feel confident that her family is not something to be ashamed of but rather, one to be proud of.
"The less we tried to hide and the less shame we showed on the outside, we felt like it would be something that would make her more confident that it's just an everyday thing. So bills like this are very, very – not just hurtful, but it's important when you're growing up that you're able to talk about your family," Shelly said.
As the bill was debated in the Statehouse Monday, several parents addressed lawmakers in support of the House bill, telling lawmakers some topics should stay out of the classroom.
"It is holding educators accountable to stay in their lane of educating our children on academics and not indoctrinating them," Paula Davis with Moms for Liberty, a teacher and mother of three.
"I can love every person in this room and do. I have no reason to think otherwise and still not want my child of 8 years taught sex ed," said Ted Adams, a Hoosier parent.
Indiana is not alone. Multiple states are considering similar legislation.