This Openly-Gay Florida Student is Being Silenced and Needs Your Help

Meet Zander Moricz: at 18 years old, he’s the youngest public plaintiff in a “Don’t Say Gay” lawsuit brought against the state of Florida earlier this year. And they need your help.

I am the youngest public plaintiff in the “Don’t Say Gay” lawsuit. I am my Florida high school’s first openly-gay Class President. I am being silenced, and I need your help. 🧵

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022

Moricz attends Pine View School in Sarasota County, where he serves as the school’s first openly-gay student president. The senior, who is headed to Harvard in the fall, was told today by his principal that if he referenced his lawsuit or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in his graduation speech, his microphone would be cut off and his speech cut short.

A few days ago, my 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. (2/8)

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022

This isn’t the first time school officials have attempted to silence Moricz: before organizing a walkout to protest the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Moricz spread the word by hanging posters around the school. They were ripped off the walls by school employees.

When administration discovered that I was organizing a Say Gay walkout, they had all our posters ripped from the walls and told me to shut down the protest. They said they would send school security if I did not listen. (4/8)

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022

Not one to be so easily dissuaded from taking action, Moricz held the walkout anyway. Now, he’s creating stickers to ship to schools across Florida in protest of the bill, reminding students everywhere that though he’s almost done with the high school, he’s “not done with the fight.”

The SEE Initiative has secured 10,000 Say Gay stickers that we’re prepared to ship to high school seniors across Florida. We want you to wear them on your gowns as you cross the graduation stage, reminding underclassmen that we’re done with highschool, not the fight. (6/8)

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022

If you want to help Moricz spread the word, fill out the interest form below:

Fill out the form to get your stickers now. https://t.co/km20DBYuoT For all the kids who are not graduating and not escaping, we must say gay. #advocategraduate #saygay (7/8)

— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022