Pine View School 2022 class president Zander Moricz had to get rather creative with his graduation speech this week to avoid censorship. Moricz is Pine View's first openly gay class president, and school officials swore that they would cut off his microphone if he mentioned being gay or any of his LGBTQ+ activism during his speech.
Moricz's creative solution was to talk about his struggles as someone with curly hair—he never mentioned being gay at all. It was clear to the audience that he wasn't really talking about his hair, however.
Moricz is the youngest plaintiff in a suit against Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay Bill," officially called the "Parental Rights in Education" bill.
As such, school administration was aware of his activism and apparently decided that they needed to do everything they could to prevent him from using his platform as class president to speak out about politics.
Moricz tweeted on May 9th, just after his meeting with Pine View School's principal and being told that he would be silenced if he talked about his sexual orientation:
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
I held the walkout anyways, and it became our county’s largest protest. I won’t give into threats and I won’t be silenced. I have a plan to fight back again, and this time, I need your help. (5/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
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
Read my statement for the full story. (8/8) @SocialEqAndEd pic.twitter.com/8GffWiPYSw
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
Moricz told ABC's Good Morning America on Monday:
"You don’t know how a very volatile and polarized community is going to respond, but it was amazing. I knew that the threat to cut the mic was very real, so I wasn't gonna let that happen. I just had to be clever about it."
"But I shouldn't have had to be because I don't exist in a euphemism. I deserve to be celebrated as is."
In his speech, Moricz told his graduating class and the audience all about how difficult it had been growing up with "curly hair," but that he eventually learned to love himself and navigate the world authentically.
"I used to hate my curls. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them, trying to desperately straighten this part of who I am. But the daily damage of trying to fix myself became too much to endure."
"There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View and they will not have one."
"Instead, they’ll try to fix themselves so that they can exist in Florida’s humid climate."
You can watch Moricz's full graduation speech below:
Zander Moricz Grad Speech youtu.be
Many on Twitter congratulated Moricz for his clever way of circumventing the school's attempts to censor him.
A delightful conclusion to an awful saga. Clever, clever idea, @zandermoricz.https://t.co/HJzQkH3p8b
— Tired Gay Tweets for Tired Gays (@Nico_Lang) May 24, 2022
Awesome job Zander!
— Cindy O'Connell (@CindyOConnell5) May 24, 2022
Absolutely brilliant!! Loved the metaphor!!
I will never understand why some people want to step back into the dark ages. What people choose to be or think or do, in the privacy of their own lives is no one's business but their own!! #GAY #LGBTQ #Equality
— Catherine ❤️🥑 (@Catherine79_JB) May 24, 2022
Absolutely phenomenal speech! I love watching you “Use Your Power!” So very proud of you and your curly hair! It’s an honor to follow you! 💜
— Maggie Mae🦊 (@MaggieMaeSlyFox) May 24, 2022
Zander, that speech was amazing.
I don't live in America, and I don't have curly hair, but it is my privilege to support those who do. Your family, friends, teachers, and community must be proud of you. But more importantly, your COUNTRY should be proud of you.
— Doug S. 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@Neodoug2) May 23, 2022
Be your authentic self. I will always fight for your curls and look forward to your future. 🏳️🌈
— michelle kubitz (she/her) (@shelkubitzwrite) May 24, 2022
Congratulations, graduate, and thank you for standing up and speaking the #curlyhair truth. pic.twitter.com/nS19WvBdAs
— Ms. Uppity #StandWithUkraine (@tlcoles) May 23, 2022
Moricz admirably found a creative way to circumvent his school administration's promises to silence him, but how many other LGBTQ+ youth in Florida—and other states where lawmakers are working to pass laws discriminating against them—aren't able to get so creative? How many valuable youth voices are we, as a society, missing out on because they are unable to speak out because of the repercussions?
That is why Moricz felt it was so important to speak out the way he did, so that future "curly-haired" kids would be able to speak openly about their identiy.
