greetings. 

I'm coming here today, not only as a black trans person, 

but a HUMAN BEING first. 

my name is river Friedrich and I'm reaching out to Gov.Ron De Santis. 

I'm here to tell you a little story. 

Everyone says you can't be young to know who you are, well with me, I was ten years old when I knew I was different. I was TEN YEARS OLD. I didn't have the words to know exactly who I was as a child, but I knew I felt like a boy, and I wanted to be a boy. Yes, I was born female at birth. And what people can't seem to realize is that the transgender community has been around since longer then ANYONE of us has even existed. 

I think it is absolutely horrendous that you are not allowing for children now in schools to say the word GAY. Are you that insecure in yourself to not let kids even know anything about the LGBTQ+ community? Who hurt you? Kids deserve to learn about themselves. They deserve to be happy being WHO they want to be, everyone deserves the chance that I have at being three years HAPPILY on testosterone. If this gets enough signatures I do hope it reaches you and I do hope you actually do your research on the community respectfully, to see how hurtful you are being towards us. Yes we are different, but we are happy. We're not aliens. We are HUMAN BEINGS. Then again, we know you don't care about the people you govern, but I do hope that you will just take into consideration how awful this is. You cannot play God, let nature take its course and let these kids find themselves and be their truest selves without their Governor controlling it. 

And if you are seeing this and reading this, Please no transphobic / homophobic comments, Please be respectful, I am a human being just wanting better for their state. I am a HUMAN BEING first and foremost. Just like these kids. They deserve to be their true, authentic selves in 2022. Former President Barak Obama did not fight hard for love = love to have this happen in Florida. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and sign this petition. 

River.