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Abstract
This dissertation investigates the effects of Florida’s House Bill 1557, colloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, on censorship in the state’s scholastic journalism programs. The data for this dissertation was collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with eleven high school media advisers in the state of Florida who advised newspaper, yearbook, or broadcast programs both before and after the passage of HB 1557. The findings indicate that there is a high level of self-censorship occurring in Florida’s scholastic journalism programs that has been exacerbated by the culture of fear created by HB 1557, which has also increased overt censorship by administrators. This censorship, much of which has been focused on limiting the publication of queer experiences and stories related to LGBTQIA+ issues, limits the potential for student media outlets to function as a site for renegotiation and resistance against the dominant heteronormativity that encourages politicians to pass harmful anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation such as HB 1557.