Florida - Wednesday April 12, 2023: A bill that would restrict access to bathrooms and changing facilities to a person’s biological sex came under strong criticism by the trans community during testimony in the House Commerce Committee Monday. That prompted one republican lawmaker to calls trans people "demons" and "mutants. State Rep. Webster Barnaby (R-Deltona) later apologized for what he said.
Florida House Bill 1521 was introduced in the committee by Republican representative Rachel Plakon, who said - “This is a simple and common-sense bill that requires public and private sector covered entities to have restrooms separately designated for males and females. The bill limits instances when a person may enter a restroom or changing facility designated for the opposite sex.”
“Representative question with regards to trans men, beard, deep voice. So, transmen what restroom are they supposed to use?" asked Democratic Representatives Kristen Arrington.
“The restroom that would align with their biological sex," responded Plakon.
When asked by Democratic Representative Christopher Benjamin why the bill was necessary Plakon said - “There have been dozens of cases where people have been assaulted in the restroom and most of the time it is a heterosexual male assaulting a female in the women’s restroom.”
Members of the trans committee condemned the bill.
Katelin Danehy-Samitz: "I’m the founder and vice-president of Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida. This bill is nothing more than the extension of mass genocidal bills. This is eugenics and you should be ashamed.”
Loraine Johnson: "Welcome back to the genital gestapo. Today we’re playing who’s the pantie police? How do we expect to enforce this transphobic legislation?”
Not long after the trans community testified against the measure, Republican Representative Webster Barnaby declared he had had enough saying:
“I’m looking at society today and it’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie ... it’s like we have mutants living among us on planet Earth ... We have people that live among us today on planet Earth that are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet. This is the planet Earth where God created men male and women female. I’m a proud Christian conservative Republican ... I’m not afraid to address the dysphoria or the dysfunction. The Lord rebuke you, Satan, and all of your demons and all of your imps who come and parade before us. That’s right. I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world.”
“Wow, I’m still a little bit thrown off by the last comments here," said Rep. Arrington. "I just want to let you all know that there are many that understand and support you.”
“I’m also a Christian man ," said Republican Representative Chase Tramont. "I just want to say to some of the folks in here who shared their testimony I appreciated you coming up, you’re not an evil being. I believe that your fearfully and wonderfully made. And I want you to live your life as well.”
The Republican controlled committee then approved the bill and it has now moved on to the full House for consideration.
After Bill 1521 was passed, Rep. Barnaby then read a prepared apology - “In reference to my comments in Bill 1521 I referred to trans people as demons. I would like to apologize to the trans community for referring to you as demons. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, we appreciate that.”