Liberals Are ‘Owning’ Ron DeSantis by Screaming the Word ‘Gay’
Activists and politicians on the left have been shouting their opposition to a Florida bill that would ban public schools from teaching students about sexuality until after third grade.
SO WHAT
The protesters are defying a version of the legislation that only exists in their own minds.
THE DEMONSTRATIONS
The Parental Rights in Education bill — which passed the state legislature Tuesday — mandates “age-appropriate” classroom instruction, including restricting teachers from discussing gender and sexual orientation from kindergarten through third grade.
- Liberal critics have given the legislation the misleading nickname the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and they protested accordingly Monday.
1. PALMER REPORT: The news and commentary website captured the tone of the left’s objections in a tweet.
Gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay.
Take that Ron DeSantis, you homophobic bastard!
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 7, 2022
2. FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOLERS: Over 100 Leon County high school students chanted, “We say gay!” during a protest at the State Capitol in Tallahassee.
Students are chanting at the top of their lungs “we say gay” outside of the legislative chambers. It’s so loud the Republican lawmakers trying to erase gay youth can hear them inside the chambers. This is what righteous resistance looks like. #LetFreeFloridaSayGay pic.twitter.com/kqHwpcBrhA
— Thomas Kennedy (@tomaskenn) March 7, 2022
3. DEMOCRATIC STATE LAWMAKERS: A number of progressive Florida senators and House members joined the student protesters.
We’ve got one thing to say to our GOP colleagues — GAY! pic.twitter.com/AiXzW0chUq
— Florida Senate Democrats (@FLSenateDems) March 7, 2022
4. OTHER FLORIDA STUDENTS: Across the state, students staged walk-outs featuring “gay” chants.
EXCLUSIVE: Students in Winter Park, Florida are currently staging a MASSIVE walkout to protest the heinous GOP 'Don't Say Gay' bill. Video shot by @proudtwinkie. #LetFreeFloridaSayGay pic.twitter.com/gbzHeGiPc4
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) March 7, 2022
5. FLORIDA TEACHERS: The educators dared to say the supposedly unspeakable in a TikTok video released by Florida House Democrats.
Florida House Democrats put out this video. They literally have nothing to offer. They just walk around saying the word gay (which is not in the bill). How does anyone take these people seriously pic.twitter.com/gfDNhkdAaW
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 7, 2022
COUNTERPOINT
At a press conference Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed a reporter who questioned him about the “don’t say gay” bill.
JUST NOW: I asked @GovRonDeSantis if he supported HB 1557, the legislation critics call the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.https://t.co/CGiooSrKYn @WFLA https://t.co/H34CGSj7BJ pic.twitter.com/C518l1QaC3
— Evan Donovan (@EvanDonovan) March 7, 2022
“The idea that you wouldn’t be honest about that and tell people what it actually says — it’s why people don’t trust people like you, because you peddle false narratives,” said DeSantis, who was expected to sign the bill.
- On Tuesday, shortly after the measure passed the statehouse, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued a statement that read “leaders in Florida are prioritizing hateful bills that hurt some of the students most in need.”