The initiative comes as the Republican-dominated Florida legislature has already passed a series of laws to limit issues such as gender and sexuality in schools.
In a session of the committee on education in the Florida legislature, Democratic representative Ashley Gantt questioned her Republican colleague Stan McClain, author of the initiative.
“This bill prohibits talking regarding menstrual cycles?” Gantt asked. If the girls are younger than the set age, “would it prohibit talking regarding it?”
“Yes, that would be the case,” McClain replied.
According to the American Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, most girls have their first periods between 12 and 13 years of age, although some may have them several years before.
“Imagine a little girl in the fourth grade going to the bathroom and finding blood…she thinks she’s dying,” Ashley Gantt replied. “And her teachers can’t even tell her that this is a part of life,” she added.
Stan McClain later clarified that the bill does not seek to prevent young women from asking their teachers and that it is open to amendments, according to various US media.
The draft is part of a set of bills that might transform the educational system in Florida.
The governor of that state, Ron DeSantis, seen as a possible rival to Donald Trump in the Republican primaries for the 2024 presidential elections, promised to make his state a laboratory of conservative ideas.
These initiatives have a great chance of being approved due to the enormous influence that DeSantis, 44, has in his party, the majority in both houses of the Florida parliament.
