House Republicans introduced legislation on Tuesday that seeks to prohibit schools teaching children under 10 about "sexually-oriented" topics from receiving federal dollars.
The bill specifically targets the distribution of literature outlining "masturbation, pornography, sexual acts, and gender transition" as well as the promotion of "burlesque shows and drag shows on Federal property during family-oriented events."
"The Democrat Party and their cultural allies are on a misguided crusade to immerse young children in sexual imagery and radical gender ideology," stated Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., vice chairman of the House Republican Conference.
"This commonsense bill is straightforward. No federal tax dollars should go to any federal, state, or local government agencies, or private organizations that intentionally expose children under 10 years of age to sexually explicit material."
Under the legislation, parents can also file lawsuits against any public or private entity violating the new rules. Any organization caught teaching the topics more than once in a five-year period will lose access to federal funding for three years.
Some have drawn comparisons between the Republican proposal and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' Parental Rights in Education law. Those similarities have led some on the left to label it a new "don't say gay" bill.
"I can't overstate how radical the private right of action portion is," Harvard Law clinical instructor Alejandra Caraballo wrote on Twitter. "The bill is so broadly defined that a pediatric hospital could be sued for having a pride flag or a medical pamphlet about gender dysphoria. It deputizes anti-LGBTQ bigots to engage in bounty lawsuits."
However, the bill's 33 congressional sponsors cite a recent "call to action" by Planned Parenthood encouraging state legislatures and school boards across the country to implement sexual education curricula for children under 10.
Another justification points out Health and Human Services funding a child drag show performance in Alaska and the Defense Department's embrace of "radical gender theory" at military bases.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.