Chelsea Handler Speaks Up Against LGBTQ+ Censorship In Florida Schools

Chelsea Handler is displeased with happenings in Florida schools!

Just weeks after calling out George Santos for scamming a veteran and denying his sexuality, the comedian has come for certain educational institutions that are removing books related to LGBTQ+ subjects. She drove her point home in a clip she posted on social media alongside a young child whose relationship with her is unknown.

Besides making people laugh, Handler has made a name for herself as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. The "Chelsea Lately" alum reminded her fans of her stance when she uploaded a video that showed her wearing a ski outfit in a snowy environment recently.

The clip began with the comedian and her assistant — Charley — introducing themselves before delving into what prompted the recording — the books being banned from school libraries. In the 48-year-old's words:

"Recently in Florida, because, of course, it's Florida, public schools and libraries are being forced to purge their bookshelves of any literature that contains even a subtle hint of LGBTQ characters or romances. Teachers are being forced to hide these books, or they could face felony charges from the state."

After Charley pointed out that teachers already had it "rough enough," Handler informed Florida that there were "plenty of other things to purge" in the state, including "alligators, adults who go to Disney World by themselves, and pythons."

The young student then highlighted the need to "create a school environment that's inclusive and ready to welcome kids with open arms," before Handler quipped:

"What will be banned next? Books showing women having a good time? Let's show our support and solidarity to our teachers who have to continue to put up with your sh**ty kids. And now a government who wants to put them in jail for having kids read 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'"

The 2009 Ally for Equality Award winner finished, "And if Willy Wonka isn't an iconic gay character, I don't know who is." As expected, the candid dialogue received support from Handler's fans as they trooped into the comment section to share their agreeable takes.

Leading the charge was a former teacher who thanked the comedian before noting, "We need MORE convos around what is happening in education. The Lorax is also a banned book. WTAF?!"

"Thank you Charlie, for your smart and thoughtful public service announcement! Kids should read everything!" a second person commented, while a third queried, "Ugh it's 2023. Why do people still think like this? Can't we just accept everyone no matter what they believe or who they love?!"

Another teacher disclosed that they were "currently fighting this battle" in Maine, adding, "We are also being called groomers, pedophiles etc. We are losing excellent teachers because of the hostility in our community as well." A fifth commenter claimed:

"You are great on your own but so much better with Charlie (sp?) by your side. Florida should purge Desantis instead."

In case you missed it, Governor Ron DeSantis has been on the warpath with the LGBTQ+ community since last year when he signed the controversial bill into law preventing schools in Florida from teaching students about gender issues and sexual orientation. The bill stipulated that any teachers caught violating the laid down terms would be slammed with lawsuits.

Although it was formally called the "Parental Rights in Education" bill, it was renamed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by its critics in response to the situation, according to Independent UK.

The Blast reported that Handler spared no expense when celebrating her 48th birthday last month. Per the report, the "Girls Behaving Badly" star took the festivities to the snowy mountains, where she continued her three-year tradition of skiing in skimpy clothing. 

For this year's event, which she showed off on Instagram, she wore a strapless bikini top created from a Canadian and United States mash-up flag, a plain black bottom, and a matching beanie. Despite the cold temperature of her location, Handler appeared unbothered as she skied with reckless abandon in the snow before enjoying a glass of beer and a smoke.

Set to Eminem's 2002 song, "Without me," the adventurous post was captioned, "48! Salud!" The video has been played over four million times and has received nearly 490k likes and 17.6k comments.

A peek at the comment section revealed that Handler's fans and fellow celebs were living vicariously through her as Sophia Bush exclaimed, "I'm obsessed with yooou! 🔥.”