Florida Gov Ron DeSantis goes beyond petty in using his office to personally bully trans athlete Lia Thomas

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis is using his office to personally bully trans athlete Lia Thomas.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is so eager to emulate Donald Trump as a presidential candidate that he's already making the mistakes which cost Trump the White House.

He's being belligerently petty.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an official proclamation Tuesday declaring a Florida resident the “rightful winner” of an NCAA women’s swimming championship race over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Thomas — the University of Pennsylvania swimmer whose record-breaking season has sparked national debate over whether trans women should compete on female sports teams — became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship last week, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle race at the Division I finals in Atlanta on Thursday. DeSantis said he would "reject these lies and recognize" University of Virginia swimmer and Florida resident Emma Weyant, who came in second place, as the winner. 

The false narrative of trans female athletes having an unfair advantage over cisgender female athletes (strange how trans males athletes are made conveniently absent from this discussion) has been a somewhat successful wedge issue for conservatives and others on the far right. Just as in the issue of marriage equality, they have zoomed in on and amplified false assumptions about a complicated issue which takes more explaining than a sound byte.

And just like the issue of marriage equality, accuracy will eventually rule the day. Meanwhile, folks like DeSantis are embarrassingly eager to squeeze out whatever political capital they can, even if they target innocent people.

In other words, Governor Ron DeSantis is personally bullying Lia Thomas. There is should be no sugarcoating, no deceptions, and no lies about what this man is doing right now, DeSantis is exposing Ms. Thomas to ridicule and death threats and she doesn't have the same capital or political power to fight him as he punches down at her while making speeches, appearing on Fox News, and being interviewed at various other media outlets - all of which are sure to come from his latest stunt.

Technically, DeSantis is not leading a charge of hateful students to follow her in the restroom. He's not leading a gang of transphobic fools chasing her down the street while pelting her with rocks and abuse. No, what DeSantis is doing is simultaneously equally disgusting and even worse. He's crafting excuses for those who would want to do those awful things to Thomas. In his capacity as an authority figure and a political leader, he is sending a message that to treat Ms. Thomas as less than human is perfectly okay - something that a true Christian would do, even. 

People are supposed to look to him for some sort of guidance, but he would rather pass out the torches while directing the mob.

And keep in mind that DeSantis's attack on Thomas  comes on the heels of  his enthusiastic support of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill passed by the Florida legislature. DeSantis should take a step back and consider his political future. It's one thing to push an issue, even distort it, for political points. But it's quite another to eagerly target any one person or a group of people and use your political power to make life hell for them. Granted, DeSantis is probably doing it to fire up his base, a tactic that Trump perfected  while in office. But he should be aware of the other side of the coin with that technique.

Trump may have fired up his base during his years in the White House with his petty attacks and targeting, but he also fired up an opposition who came out on election day simply to vote against him. There is some truth to the belief that Biden partly won in 2020 because more people absolutely despised Trump than liked him.

In the long run, people don't like presidential candidates  or any politician who take perverse pleasure in dividing and targeting people. And DeSantis is getting way past that point.

'True story - Dog dumped at NC animal shelter because owners said he was gay' & other Tue midday news briefs

 

Dog Is Dumped At North Carolina Shelter Because Owners Said It Might Be Gay​ - OMG! I hope this turns out to be a fraud, but I doubt that it is. The above video confirms it.

I'm An LGBTQ+ Doctor. Here's What You Might Not Know About Texas' New Anti-Trans Law. - Cause we shouldn't stop talking about this travesty. Ever.

Biden Officials Meet With Florida LGBTQ+ Youth to Assure Support - Thank you. 

Barrington High parent: LGBTQ students targeted in TikTok-inspired attack - What all of this evil against LGBTQ people is leading to.

Other states trying to ignore Florida 'Don't Say Gay' backlash as they work to muzzle LGBTQ people. They will not be successful.

We knew this would happen. From The USA Today:

 Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill, which would restrict classroom discussions about LGBTQ people, is just the tip of the iceberg for similar legislation across the country, data shows. Florida's bill has inspired national backlash, but it contains language similar to many other bills – branded "Don't Say Gay" legislation by critics. Those proposed laws are currently in various stages of moving through state legislatures. The barrage of legislation represents a widespread attack against LGBTQ people and their allies, according to policy experts. Young people, who identify as LGBTQ at higher rates than older generations of Americans, stand to be harmed the most by the bills, experts said.

One bill in Louisiana is downright scary because the person behind it is up front about what she wants to accomplish. The bill not only seeks to shut down any discussion of LGBTQ issues from elementary school to the 8th grade. It would criminalize teachers for even mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity:

A bill that would bar discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 schools has been filed in the Louisiana Legislature. It follows similar efforts in Florida and more than a dozen other states referred to as “Don’t Say Gay” proposals. Filed by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, House Bill 837 would make it illegal for schools to incorporate “classroom instruction or discussion relative to sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through eight-grade classes and for teachers and other school employees to discuss “personal sexual orientation or gender identity” with students in grades K-12th grade.

Horton inanely insists that her bill isn't a 'Don't Say Gay' bill despite what it does. She also said her bill is to 'protect children.'  

Again with the claims about wanting to 'protect' the children. It's an old but successful card. It's the close cousin to the 'protect marriage' and 'protect religious liberty' card. And LGBTQ Americans know it well. Every time the religious right get on a jag about 'protecting' something, we are the ones who end up needing bodyguards.

The USA Today article continues:

Eighteen other states have seen the introduction of bills similar to Florida's this year alone, according to MAP and the Equality Federation, which released a report Wednesday documenting hostile school and curriculum bills. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma already have similar policies on the books from the 1990s. 

 Many of this year's pieces of legislation are called "parental rights" bills, but critics said the name distracts from stipulations that would harms kids for whom school is the only place they feel comfortable talking about LGBTQ issues. Among those bills are ones requiring parents to "opt-in" for students to learn about certain topics, giving families power to make decisions about learning that are typically made by certified educators and counselors, Goldberg and MAP policy researcher Logan Casey said. 

 “We end up in a situation where you have politicians who are not educators making decisions about what happens in the classroom, and it really does tie the hands of local school boards as well as state school boards to make those decisions in an informed and public way," Goldberg said.

So what do we do about it? Well sitting on our asses and twiddling our thumbs in abject fear won't get us anywhere. Truth be told, no matter how dire things look, we aren't defeated. Not by a long shot. They can try to shut us out, but they can't ever shut us down.

And that's the key. No matter how many bills they try to pass, the haters can't shut us down. They can make things incredibly difficult for us, but they can't shut us down because quite simply, they can't shut us up. They can't shut up our creative, our determination, and especially our dogged determination to have the last word each and every time one of them crawl out of their fraudulent ecclesiastical and fake ivory towers to come after us.

They want no one 'say gay?' We will have America saying it so much than even the haters will say it in their sleep. They want to erase our kids and families from the schools and libraries? Then we will go everywhere INCLUDING those schools and libraries. Every action they take to shut us down is an opportunity for us to raise the noise and conscious levels as to who were are. 

It's not like we haven't done it before. Hate may be their brand, but overcoming their hate is our brand.

You see the oppositions acts under the illusion that a few bills and laws can eradicate us. That's their belief, but it ain't reality.  And everything they do to force that belief on us is an opportunity for us remind them of what reality actually says.

'Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bill filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people' & other Mon midday news briefs

Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people - This is simply evil. You cannot tell me that these bills are necessary. LGBTQ people are the only Americans specifically targeted by name. Folks don't even try to hide it. There is something really wrong here. 

These billboards are going up across America to show love to transgender people​ - It's a step but those of us who aren't trans should do more. What we can. 

Watch First Video Footage of Brittney Griner Since Russia Detention - We have to keep this sista in our prayers, hearts, and minds. 

Iszac Henig 5th, Lia Thomas 8th in 100-free final, two trans All-Americans in women’s swimming - Two trans athletes went in and did their best in spite of all of the media attention, both good and bad. At the end of the day, their commitment wins it all.

Carl Nassib released by Las Vegas Raiders - Turns out it was a financial decision. At the end of the day, money talks. Always. 

Attacks on transgender kids and their families prove that Republicans don't give a d@mn about 'parental rights'

This excerpted piece below was published five days ago in The Los Angeles Times, but it underscores a fact which needs consistent highlight in the war against trans Americans. In the mouths of the Republican party and their religious right cohorts, the phrase 'parental rights' is nothing more than a prop; a weapon used to wreak havoc for the sake of political power and to remind certain people how they are hated. It's the same manner the Republican party and their religious right cohorts exploit religion.

It's sad how certain people who are always going on about values, morality, and safety can easily convert these very same concepts into weapons of destruction. Almost as if it's a sociopathic tendency.

It's despicable that politicians would threaten medical care that has been vetted and peer-reviewed by mainstream medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, and pretend they are acting to protect the health of young people. They ignore current medical and psychological thinking and are making families and transgender teens feel singled out for hatred. 

These measures might well be struck down in court, but in the meantime, they make it hard for transgender youth to receive or continue receiving the medical care they need. According to a 2017 report by the Williams Institute at UCLA, less than 1% of teenagers identify as transgender and many of those don't get medical treatment related to their sexual identity.

 Such moves by Republican politicians are also hypocritical. When it comes to masks and COVID-19 vaccine mandates for kids, those politicians say those are matters for families to decide. But they seem fine with stripping parents of their right to help their children with a complicated medical decision that, unlike COVID-19, has no effect on the health or safety of others.

 . . . Deciding whether to seek gender-affirming care for teens should be done in consultation with doctors and and psychologists, who require certain criteria to be met before they will provide treatments for transitioning kids. The last thing parents need is politicians telling them that supporting their children is wrong or threatening to take their kids away.

 . . .Singling out a vulnerable group — and attempting to restrict its members' movements out of state, as Idaho would, or encouraging McCarthy-era spying and tattling on neighbors, as Texas’s governor wants — is a contemptible way to score points with voters. Even if all of these efforts eventually lose in court, it could still take years to resolve and still do untold damage to today’s transgender teenagers and their families. 

 

'Bigots move from 'recruit' to 'groomer' card against LGBTQ community' & other Fri midday news briefs

The anti-LGBTQ industry used to accuse us of 'recruiting' children. Now the word is 'grooming.'

“Grooming” Is Republicans’ Cruel New Buzzword for Targeting Trans Kids

‘Grooming’ narratives return to the forefront of anti-LGBTQ2S+ campaigns 

Unoriginal but effective. We always fight these lies and beat them. 

Hate group ADF to review Hanover Virginia School Board education policy - The Alliance Defending Freedom has defended sterilizing trans people and putting people in jail simply for being LGBTQ. Oh this was smart (sarcasm) 

Related posts - Information on the Alliance Defending Freedom from SPLC and Media Matters for America: 

ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM - SPLC report. 

The extremism of anti-LGBTQ powerhouse Alliance Defending Freedom - Media Matters report.

Anti-LGBTQ industry relying on fake expert to amplify medical anti-transgender lies

The anti-LGBTQ industry is relying on 'professionals' such as Michelle Cretella to give out false information about trans people.

Like I've shown many times, when it comes to gay men, the anti-LGBTQ industry generally amplifies false experts in their attacks. A recent article in the American Family Association's American Family News shows how this tactic is being used against the transgender community.

The article Christian doc: Biden's 'mimicking' of lies endangering kids cites a physician by the name of Michelle to criticize President Biden's support of transgender Americans:

Biden, a long-time supporter of transgenderism, went so far as to mention it in his State of the Union message on March 1. Specifically, he used the occasion to promote the Equality Act, which has lost support even among Republicans who had backed it. 

 . . . Dr. Michelle Cretella of Advocates Protecting Youth tells AFN that she's convinced the president was simply mimicking what others are saying. "He's just parroting the lies of many public institutions that really are placing children at grave physical risk. No child is born in the wrong body," she argues. Cretella says the president proclaimed his support despite the growing evidence that transgender treatments are dangerous, irreversible, and divisive. 

"When someone like President Biden stands up there and actually gives credence to the lie that children could be trapped in the wrong body, that's psychological abuse," she states. In a recent interview, Cretella – a past president of the American College of Pediatricians – made the same charge against educators. School staff who encourage a transgender self-identification, she said, are "guilty of psychological abuse" for putting children at risk for embarking on a medical path that includes such long-term consequences as permanent sterility, depression, impaired memory, strokes, and heart attacks.

There are two things you should know about Cretella. 

First of all, the group she led as past president, the American College of Pediatricians,  has been called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center:

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a fringe anti-LGBTQ hate group that masquerades as the premier U.S. association of pediatricians to push anti-LGBTQ junk science, primarily via far-right conservative media and filing amicus briefs in cases related to gay adoption and marriage equality.​ ACPeds opposes adoption by LGBTQ couples, links homosexuality to pedophilia, endorses so-called reparative or sexual orientation conversion therapy for homosexual youth, believes transgender people have a mental illness and has called transgender health care for youth child abuse.

In 2017, Cretella herself was called out by the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) for a piece she wrote criticizing trans health care. SAHM said that the argument she made was based on medical omissions, circumstantial facts, hateful interpretation and peripheral context: 

Earlier this month, the Adolescent Health News Roundup, compiled by Multiview and distributed by SAHM, included the article “I’m a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse”. While SAHM welcomes opposing views and tries to include other perspectives in its weekly digest of news culled from around the internet, SAHM does not condone misinformation and hurtful, ideological opinion, not rooted in science or evidence-based medicine. 

The above-referenced article does not meet these standards and was included as “news” in error. It not only promotes a biased agenda, but does so with outright disregard for the facts. We sincerely apologize for including this alongside legitimate news stories and are currently revising our procedures to ensure this does not happen again.

SAHM refuted all of the points Cretella made in her piece and showed how she may have deliberately played loose with the facts. It also ended its piece with words Cretella and the entire anti-LGBTQ industry should take to heart:

One cannot claim to be an unbiased medical professional writing for the greater good when one’s entire article is predicated upon gender dysphoria as a choice. It is time to listen to our young people and help them be who they are.

(Editor's note -  SAHM's refutation deserves a read and a save for more than one reason. I have no doubt that Cretella's distortions have been copied by other transphobic groups and personalities. One thing about the anti-LGBTQ industry which I know for certain is their constant repeating of  the same lies and cherry-picked points.)

'Hate group leader Tony Perkins links LGBTQ people with 'rebellion against God' and 'demonic spirits' (again)' & other Thur midday news briefs

 

Tony Perkins Says ‘LGBT Is the Zenith of Man’s Rebellion Against God’ - We can always count on Tony Perkins for good old fashioned homophobia. 

Speaking of which, how can we forget when Perkins called us pawns of the devil in 2011:

 

In other news

For Too Many Straight, Cisgender Parents, Queer Is Their Worst Fear - This is true. They are scared of us. 

Disney workers stage daily walkouts to protest ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and demand protections for LGBT+ staff - Disney, you are in a doghouse. 

 How you can help LGBTQ Ukrainians right now - Amen.

After attempting to erase LGBTQ mentions in schools and trying to jail affirming parents of trans kids, what is next for the anti-LGBTQ industry?

I'm wondering whether or not people will be smart enough to connect the transphobic drama in Texas, the 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle in Florida and the several other instances of LGBGTQ Americans being targeted and undermined via the governmental and legislative process this year.

On the risk of sounding like a paranoid conspiracy theorist, I refuse to believe that these things sprang up spontaneously. These legislative and governmental processes are too meticulously crafted. Certain groups and persons took the utmost care in creating these bills with the goal of undermining LGBTQ rights.  It's certainly something to think about, as is their possible next step. Whoever they may be, my guess is that these folks won't stop with trying to erase mentions of LGBTQ people in elementary schools or trying to take trans kids away from their affirming parents. 

Perhaps this, maybe:

For the luckily uninitiated, this is Terry Schilling, head of a group called the Americans Principles Project. And as so many of us know, when any right-wing group comes on the scene with a name bragging about how pro-American or pro-morality it is,  LGBTQ folks just gained another enemy.

Terry and his group have been busy, if he is to be believed. Recently, he was bragging about how his group was instrumental in getting Abbott to issue his transphobic directive. In fact, Schilling claimed that his group spent $750,000 on the effort

“We put together a $750,000 grassroots advocacy campaign with the War Room support, and we put pressure on him right before the election,” Schilling said. “It wasn’t a coincidence that he did this. And Abbott basically instructed all of his state agencies to treat this as child abuse, and it’s now criminal to do this.” 

 Abbott, a champion of the conservative movement, has been accused of not being right wing enough by the Republican Party’s extreme fringes. Such attacks escalated ahead of Tuesday’s Republican gubernatorial primary, which Abbott easily won. In Schilling’s telling, Abbott has been insufficiently harsh on the LGBTQ community.

 Under Schilling’s leadership, APP—a religious-right organization that has made discriminating against trans kids its main endeavor—launched a Texas state chapter last year and targeted Abbott and other Republicans for not going far enough with the anti-trans legislation they passed. In February, APP released two ads attacking Abbott for failing to “protect our children.”

So if Schilling is to be believed, Texas families with trans children have literally been fearing knocks on their doors because of him. But it's not just about trans people. According to Media Matters, Schilling made the following remark about gay men

“Am I really a snowflake for not wanting to explain butt sex to my kids?”

I suspect that Schilling and his group will be appearing on a future SPLC listing of anti-LGBTQ hate groups. But for now,  I would pay at least a little attention to his attack on LGBTQ people who realize after they have entered heterosexual marriages that they need to be honest with themselves and their families.

Don't be surprised if what he wrote ends up in a less hysterical form on some state legislative bill.

'Trans Texans sick being called 'child abusers' take their fight to the governor's mansion' & other Wed midday news briefs

Trans Texans sick of being called “child abusers” take their fight to the governor’s mansion - Keep it up, y'all! Don't stop standing up for yourselves!

Disney Dissent Looks To Grow Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ As LGBTQ+ Staff Plan Walkouts Starting Today​ - Karma continues for Disney. It needs to do the right thing. 

Alabama Is Steps Away From Making Gender-Affirming Care a Felony - These folks may have meant all of this as a mid-term election strategy but it is spiraling out of their control. It's going to blow up in their faces It doesn't mean we should just sit in anticipation that it happens. We need to do all we can to make it happen. And that means getting the word out about what these insane bills will actually do. 

Mark Rylance reveals how a crappy homophobic action flick almost made him quit movies for good - Those types of movies are never a good idea. Sounds like a movie made in the 80s with John Hurt and Ryan O'Neal called 'Partners.' It too was a disaster.

Sen. Marco Rubio is the latest under harsh spotlight because of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle

After using the shooting tragedy at the Pulse nightclub to portray himself as an LGBTQ ally, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is using the 'Don't Say Gay' bill to abandon that position.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio seems to the latest figure revealed to be nakedly dishonest because the state's 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle.  We've already seen how the Florida GOP legislators - Governor DeSantis included - have lied and deceived to get the bill passed. And we've seen how the Disney Corporation unsuccessfully tried to avoid taking a stand against the bill even though it passes itself off as an LGBTQ-friendly corporation.

According to The American Independent, we are seeing why Sen. Rubio's support of the bill is equally problematic:

In 2016, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) advised his fellow Christian conservatives to show tolerance toward LGBTQ people. Six years later, Rubio has made an about-face and is supporting Florida's attacks on LGBTQ rights. In the aftermath of the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead, Rubio won reelection in part by claiming to be an ally for the LGBTQ community. But as he seeks a third Senate term in 2022, Rubio is no longer pretending to support the rights of LGBTQ Floridians.

. . . On Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned that the Florida bill "sends a signal to LGBTQ+ youth that they are not fully accepted." In response, Rubio tweeted on Tuesday that Murthy "argues that schools should be having discussions with children from 5 to 8 years old about sexual orientation & gender identity." Just 14 minutes later, Rubio posted a Bible quote from the Book of Isaiah about Sodom and Gomorrah — two ancient cities that LGBTQ rights opponents often cite to condemn same-sex relationships: "Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!"

According to the American Independent article (which should get a full reading), Rubio's support or disapproval of LGBTQ issues seems to be like a tennis ball during a furious Wimbledon championship match. He's either all about 'tolerance'  or Biblical condemnation all depending on the political winds.

'Here is an LGBTQ connection to all 68 teams in the NCAA men's basketball tournament' & other Tue midday news briefs

Here is an LGBTQ connection to all 68 teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament - Every one. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis levels scathing attack against Disney - The bill has passed the Florida legislature, Ronnie. Why don't you sign it instead of whining about 'wokeness.' 

GOP Attacks on Trans Girls Were Never Just About Sports​ - No it wasn't and it bears repeating. 

Hilarious, Inclusive Sitcom Abbott Elementary Renewed For Season Two - This show is hilarious and deserves more attention.

Randy Rainbow hilariously calls out Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene in brutal 'Little Shop of Horrors' song spoof

Say what you will about Randy Rainbow, his brutally acerbic talent for wrecking the most deserved via song parodies helped get us through the Trump years. And he hasn't run out of ways to express his dry candor as the above video proves. Via a spoof of the song 'Dentist' from Little Shop of Horrors, Randy calls out should-have-never-been-elected Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. I wish our so-called mainstream media had the gumption to check those two like Randy does.

'Poll - Majority of Americans Do Not Support Laws Banning LGBTQ Lessons in Class' & other Mon midday news briefs

Majority of Americans Against Laws That Ban LGBTQ Lessons in Class: Poll - This NEEDS to be trumpeted everywhere. 

Ad campaign celebrates trans athletes and the joy of youth sports​ - Yes! Give our kids a voice. 

Texas Sues Biden Administration Over Gender-Affirming Care Guidance - Go ahead and step deeper into that hole.

7 Gay, Bi, Lesbian, & Queer Movies Coming Out This Spring​ - Boom, baby!!

Gay cowboys, queer heroes & more: celebrate 20 years of incredible queer films - Just in case you need viewing material.

Sunday musings - 'Don't Say Gay' bill supporters continue to lie, Mr Humphries from 'Are You Being Served' is the funniest sit-com gay character ever

As we ease into this week, I'm taking sort of a bad news, good news point of view.

The bad news is that supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill are heavily pushing the lie that those who oppose it favor teaching lessons of sexual behavior to K-3 children. People such as Bill Maher and Franklin Graham are either ignorantly or deliberately trying to push that narrative. And they are getting help from anonymous fools on Twitter.

Like so:

Thankfully, as expressed by my retweet, a lot of folks are pushing back with corrections. Very few are buying the lie.

So what's the good news?

Very simply, there is nothing wrong with taking a step back from all of the madness and finding a way to laugh.  I did that last weekend by watching episodes of what I think is one of the funniest situation comedies of all time,  'Are You Being Served?'

It's a comedy from England which looks the day to day happenings of a department store and its employees.  What makes it so funny? Check out below:

All of the characters are hilarious, but Mr. Humphries is an especially wonderful character. Him being gay was never confirmed, but always hinted at in various comedic instances. Some folks may find him to be a stereotype,  but I disagree. He was hilarious and unashamed about who he was. Some folks may think that Jack McFarlane from 'Will and Grace' was the funniest gay character on television, but I think that honor goes to Mr. Humphries:

Supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill can't even get their lies straight

The fact that Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill was going to become law was a given from the start because Republicans outnumber Democrats in both legislative houses. But opponents of the bill consistently - and accurately - pushed that fact that the bill unfairly targets LGBTQ people. 

The supporters of the bill tried to push two opposite messages and that didn't work out for them. There were some who claimed that the bill doesn't target LGBTQ people, such as hate group The Family Research Council:

But they have been severely undercut by other supporters of the bill who say that it does target LGBTQ Floridians. Supporters such as Fox News host Laura Ingraham who dog whistled about the 'gays want to recruit' children trope :

And the drafter of the bill, Florida legisaltor Dennis Baxley, who admitted that the bill was created because of how  'concerned' he was about kids coming out:

After hours of denying his bill singled out gays, Senator @dennisbaxley admitted the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill was drafted because he was personally concerned so many kids today identify as gay and see themselves as “celebrities.” @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/VI9cGiBNiN

— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) March 8, 2022

So while the bill will most likely become law, its opponents won a huge moral victory. The goal of the bill was to shut down LGBTQ voices. On that score, it's already failed. 

'Tennessee's 'Don't Say Gay' bill less vague, specifically targets LGBTQ people' & other Thur midday news briefs

Republicans in Tennessee advance their version of “Don’t Say Gay” - And here we go. More direct though. It's more direct that Florida's bill. That helps us. 

Defending Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Fox’s Tucker Carlson says teachers who talk to kids about gender identity should “get beaten up”​ - Please. I would kick Tucker's ass. Who is he to talk about such things.

Education Secretary reminds Florida governor that federal law trumps the “Don’t Say Gay” bill - Damn right. 

LGBTQ youth suicide prevention group to expand to Mexico - Definitely needed. 

Gay Democrat Challenges GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert With Vow to End 'BS' - Good luck to him.

Disney feeling the pressure as its CEO now denounces 'Don't Say Gay' bill (after it is approved by the Florida legislature)

Florida's LGBTQ community and their allies are winning the fight in spite of passage of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

UPDATE - Disney also pledged to donate $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign. HRC is saying no thank you until 'meaningful action' is taken against Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

It looks like anger of Disney's inaction about Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill has yielded some success. 

According to CNBC:

The Walt Disney Company is now publicly opposing Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. On Wednesday, CEO Bob Chapek addressed the company’s stance on the bill and acknowledged that its original approach “didn’t get the job done.” Chapek told shareholders that he will meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney will donate $5 million to organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, that work to protect LGTBQ+ rights.

 . . . Disney has faced pressure for not opposing the bill publicly, particularly after it was determined that the company provided financial support for some of the bill’s backers in the state legislature.

Variety had this to say:

“The governor heard our concerns and agreed to meet with me and LGBTQ+ members of our senior team in Florida to discuss the ways to address them,” Chapek said during Disney’s shareholders meeting Wednesday, when he confirmed for the first time Disney’s opposition to the bill, which would limit discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

“Gov. DeSantis committed to me that he wanted to make sure that this law could not be weaponized in any way by individuals in the state or groups in the state to unduly harm or target gay, lesbian, nonbinary or transgender kids and families,” Chapek said, when asked by a shareholder during the Q&A what he expects to come up the meeting with DeSantis. DeSantis was “very open” to learning about how to prevent the law from being “weaponized” to target LGBTQ people in Florida, according to Chapek.

DeSantis' office had this to say:

UPDATE: Full response from DeSantis.

His staff says no meeting has been schedule with Disney and that "Florida parents who take their kids to Disney" should support the bill because they don't want their kids exposed to "inappropriate content about sex and gender theory" pic.twitter.com/28dVKFTFEW

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 9, 2022

Let's not bulls!t ourselves here. If DeSantis had truly cared about the bill targeting people, he would have taken steps about it long before Chapek called him. And if Chapek hadn't felt the pressure from Florida's LGBTQ community and their allies, Disney wouldn't have ever changed its position. 

Disney's shift demonstrates how Florida's LGBTQ community and its allies have been winning this fight. The passage of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill was assured from the beginning because Republicans outnumber Democrats in the state legislature. The real question was would the vote be easy or painful.  And those who opposed the bill have been very successful in making it as painful as possible by consistently arguing that the bill targets LGBTQ kids and families.

Supporters of the bill have yet to create an argument which proves this notion to be false. Some of have claimed that the bill doesn't target LGBTQ people because the words 'LGBTQ' or 'gay' isn't specifically in the bill. But then they undercut this argument by doing what DeSantis - and his spokesperson did - by specifically mentioning LGBTQ people or implying that those opposing the bill are 'pedophiles' and 'groomers.'

Disney's capitulation also proves that threats to the purse strings means more to some people than doing the right thing. But if that's what it takes to get things done, then I'm all for it. If we can't appeal to people's hearts to do us right, then we should aim at the pocketbooks. A backtrack and a promise of funding is nice, but it is by no means the end of it. Only a start. Disney is going to have do to more than that.

'LGBTQ authors of banned books speak out why their stories matter' & other Wed midday news briefs

LGBTQ authors of banned books speak out on why their stories matter​ - The across the board undermining of LGBTQ lives will be vigorously fought on all fronts.

South Dakota Ban on 'Divisive Concepts' in Education Heads to Governor - Another Republican exploiting fears about LGBTQ people for higher office.

Florida GOP senator claims 'LGBT is not a permanent thing' during debate on 'Don't Say Gay' bill - People like this is why the bill is becoming a law. 

Conversion therapy costs U.S. over $9 billion a year, study finds - Reframing of post from yesterday. Ca-ching.

Supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill aren't protecting children. They are desperately trying to preserve an illusion.

So 40 years after Anita Bryant's 'Save the Children' nonsense, Florida hasn't learned a thing. Except for how to reframe bigotry.

In the 70s, folks defeated gay rights ordinances by claiming we 'recruit' children.  On Tuesday, the state just passed a bill attacking LGBTQ kids and families by implying that we are trying to 'groom' children.

It just goes to show that bigotry and ignorance don't change. These things can be repackaged but underneath is always the same rotten core of hate.

The 'Don't Say Gay' bill, which will soon be signed by Governor DeSantis, is nothing more than a pathetic nocturnal emission. It's an annoyingly long last gasp from a group who wants to confine the complexities and worthiness of LGBTQ lives to their fevered imagination where we fluctuate between objects of pity or disgust. They see us as sideshow freaks to be observed for their amusement when they want an inflated sense of self-esteem or pleasure when they want to feel 'naughty.' Any deviation we make in their pristine illusionary world is a invasion which causes them to figuratively grab the kids and put them in safe rooms. To these folks, we are akin to Peg Powler, Jenny Greenteeth, and all of those mythical water spirits in various cultures and as such, our sole desires are to snatch up children who venture to close to our world.

What nonsense.

All of this Helen Lovejoyish  screeching (Oh won't someone please think of the children!!)  and nonsensical cries of 'let kids be kids' (what the hell does that mean anyway) is faker than  hair at a beauty shop. The bill as written is deliberately vague in talking about what isn't  or isn't allowed but very direct in talking about penalties. It's meant to send a negative message to LGBTQ people and our kids that we are the 'dreaded other.' 

But it also sends another interesting message.

Supporters of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill are weaponizing so-called parental concerns because LGBTQ people who won't conduct our lives in accordance to their lurid stereotypes are a danger to them.  We simply won't abide by their false image of who we are.

And why should we censor our lives for their benefit? We are normal, no matter how many times they accuse us of being abnormal. We have lives and jobs. We date. We pay taxes. Some of us are raising children.  And we shouldn't feel the need to hide any of this.

So what if our refusal to play the villainous roles in some people's daily drama threatens them. That's their problem. It is not our job  to make anyone feel safe in their pretend reality where all couples - married and unmarried - are heterosexual and where kids never hear a word about relationships (except for when they are chasing each other on the playgrounds, or teasing each other about 'liking someone,'  or when they read fairy tales with princes and princesses, or watching Disney movies etc, etc) while also assuming that all families look the same. 

It's not the responsibility of LGBTQ people or our families to curb our reality in order to conform with someone else's illusions. And no laws will ever change that reality.

So while the supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill will get their law, I would advise them to enjoy it while they can as long as they can. Because their victory was pyrrhic and at best, they've done nothing of substance but make us mad.

And LGBTQ people know how to fight while mad.  It suits us.

Related post - Government officials relied on lies to target trans kids and their parents in Texas. It wasn't the first time.