A social media account linked to the Presidential campaign for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has shared a video that mocks former President Donald Trump’s support of LGBTIQA+ people. The DeSantis campaign has been accused of stoking homophobia by sharing the bizarre clip.
Warning: This story has details of political messages which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
The Twitter account named ‘DeSantis War Room’ has been described as the campaign’s “rapid response” social media account that comments on events.
On the last day of Pride celebrations in the USA they reposted a clip from another account that appeared to praise the plethora of anti-LGBTIQA+ laws that DeSantis has introduced in Florida.
The video begins with a caption reading “To wrap up ‘Pride Month’ lets hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it…”
The video then plays a quick edit of clips where Donald Trump says supportive comments of the LGBTIQA+ communities, including statements he made in the wake of the Pulse nightclub massacre.
The video then switches to ominous sounding music as it shows newspaper headlines of the many anti-LGBT laws DeSantis has enacted in recent years including bans on drag performances and limiting information about transgender people being shared in schools.
The headlines are intercut with images of DeSantis with lazers firing out of his eyes, images of the character Patrick Bateman from the film American Psycho, clips of Brad Pitt in the film Troy, and images of oiled up body builders.
To wrap up “Pride Month,” let’s hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it…
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 30, 2023
The odd video has drawn criticism from with DeSantis’s own party. Charles Moran, the President of Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative gay group said the video crossed over into homophobic territory.
Moran said the message being sent by the DeSantis campaign was “divisive and desperate”.
“Republicans and other commonsense conservatives know Ron DeSantis has alienated swing-state and younger voters.
“Conservatives understand that we need to protect our kids, preserve women’s sports, safeguard women’s spaces and strengthen parental rights, but Ron DeSantis’ extreme rhetoric has just ventured into homophobic territory.
“DeSantis’ rhetoric will lose hard-fought gains in critical races across the nation. This old playbook has been tried in the past and has failed – repeatedly. Left-wing gays have tried to hijack the equality movement by pushing their radical sex and gender policies on children while slandering anyone who disagrees with them.
“Ron DeSantis and his team can’t tell the difference between commonsense gays and the radical Left gays. He, sadly, sees them all the same. His naive policy positions are dangerous and politically stupid.” Moran said in a statement.
Donald Trump is the front-runner to be the Republican party’s nominee for the 2024 Presidential election, with DeSantis trailing a long way behind in the polls. He will be hoping that Trump’s growing list of legal problems may derail his campaign.
While Trump made some positive comments about gay, lesbian and transgender people in the past, his more recent comments have taken a very different tone.
In February Trump announced if he returned to the Presidency, he would bring in widespread bans against providing healthcare for transgender minors and will outlaw any mention of transgender people in the education system.
OIP Staff
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