A legislative proposal to bar state and local governments and contractors or nonprofits drawing state money from recognizing employees’ preferred gender pronouns if they differ from their biological sex has drawn criticism from LGBTQ+ Democrats as “a disturbing escalation of right-wing extremism in Florida.”
The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus issued a written statement on Friday regarding HB 599, sponsored by Ryan Chamberlin, a Republican representing part of Marion County. There’s no Senate companion bill yet. The House bill was filed for the regular legislative session that opens in January.
“This expansion of government control is about removing and discouraging transgender Floridians from participating in public service roles and censoring the missions of Florida’s nonprofits of which the DeSantis administration disagrees,” Nathan Bruemmer, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, said in a written statement.
“This is a disturbing escalation of right-wing extremism in Florida and an aggressive acceleration by the DeSantis administration in its continued attempt to censor and erase our existence,” Bruemmer added.
Spurred by Gov. Ron DeSantis as he has been running for president as a Republican, the Legislature and the DeSantis administration have approved a number of restrictions on transgender Floridians, including access to gender-affirming care, access to bathrooms or school sports teams that correspond to their gender identities, policing room shares during school field trips — even attempting to crack down on drag performances.
In addition, DeSantis has publicly ridiculed transgender people.
The bill goes beyond barring an employer from asking employees to respect co-workers’ gender identities — it forbids employees from even asking to be recognized in that way.
“It is the policy of the state that a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex,” the bill declares.
‘Unlawful employment practice’
The measure does allow that it doesn’t apply to people with “a genetically or biochemically verifiable disorder of sex development,” such as various intersex characteristics.
“An employee or a contractor may not provide to an employer his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex,” the bill says.
“An employee or a contractor may not be asked by an employer to provide his or her preferred personal title or pronouns or be penalized or subjected to adverse personnel action for not providing his or her preferred personal title or pronouns,” it continues.
Additionally, “It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to take adverse personnel action against an employee or a contractor because of the employee’s or contractor’s deeply held religious or biology-based beliefs, including a belief in traditional or Biblical views of sexuality and marriage, or the employee’s or contractor’s disagreement with gender ideology, whether those views are expressed by the employee or contractor at or away from the worksite.”
Aggrieved parties would be eligible to file a state administrative complaint or lawsuit to attempt to recover “affirmative relief,” including backpay, damages (including as much as $100,000 in punitive damages) and attorney fees.
–Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix
Laurel says
Nothing like good ole government mandates. For moderates, Democrats and Independents, it was masks during a pandemic. For right wing Republicans, it’s your genitals, again.
Big Brother has got you by the balls.
Atwp says
Keep voting for Republicans. Under Desantis we will not be able to speak.
Joseph Barand says
DeSantis is Gay, history wife is Transsexual, only reason for pushing these stupid proposals and programs.
The Sour Kraut says
So instead of addressing serious issues like affordable home owners insurance, they spend time worrying about how to address people? Our government in action.
Sick andTired says
And this improves our lives how??? How about you MAGA politicians work on Home Insurance or something that actually matters instead of this nonsense. Stop meddling in the lives of those just trying to live their own lives.
Marc Crane says
Remember when Covid lecturers lectured on it’s all about the science. These same people are ignoring science in regards to the two actual genders. Be whatever you want and live freely however you can’t change reality of gender. It’s just another form of pretending.
Wow says
Good old Florida. Always solving non existent problems and ignoring the elephant in the room. Violence, murders, homelessness, poverty, lack of education, unemployment… but heck it’s SO important that we regulate pronouns.
Honestly what the heck does it matter what pronouns someone uses?
Leila says
Non existent problems? Federal workers are now being forced to use these pronouns. How much work do you think they are accomplishing?
This Democrat BS agenda is out of control.
Tony Mack says
The Tallahassee Tyrant and his Taliban legislature strikes again. The last leader organizing a “Cultural Revolution” was Mao in China. He persecuted teachers, opposition political leaders, gay people (yes, China has gays), the elderly, the sick, the poorest of the poor, etc. His “Red Guard” (Mao’s private army) attacked and arrested millions and murdered many of them. The Red Guard took over schools, hospitals and jails, executing undesirables and imprisoning hundreds of thousands.
Can’t happen here, you say? Look around you and listen to those who support the Republicans running this state. They must continue to manipulate the voting system so they can remain in power. Always be wary of those promising to give you freedom and liberty…they will be the first ones to take away both!
The Geode says
GOOD.
Sherry says
Fascism= Limiting Speech, Banning Books, Taking Away Your Right to Control Your Own Body! WOW! Such is the trump dictatorship!
VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY OR IT WILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU!!!!
Land of no turn signals says says
Wear a name tag on what you want to be called on that day so you won’t be insulted or butt hurt.
Laurel says
Marc Crane: The LBGTQ community has a rainbow flag as a symbol because it shows the spectrum of possibilities humans can have. The physical gender of a person may show one thing, while the brain tells the person another. Not so many people would want to “pretend” this as it is just too hard a way to live. Science is not ignoring them, science (the medical community) is supporting them. It’s the new right who are trying to legislate them into a life, and body, that does not fit their reality.
Laurel says
Leila: You really believe government should mandate how we are allowed, or not allowed, to speak?
Laurel says
Geode: If you feel this control of speech is “good,” then enjoy your free speech while you can because DeSantis will decide, for you, what you can say and what you cannot say. Then, maybe, you won’t think it’s so “good.”
This is something I’ve never witnessed in this country before, not as a mandate. Pretty horrific.
JimboXYZ says
Every Sunday AM I listen to 101.9 radio station. The most annoying thing is when they go from a music format to talk show like format. When a woman’s voice in an interview is broadcasted, she introduces herself, goes thru the litany of preferred pronouns in that introduction. Just get on with the topic, nobody cares what the preferred pronouns are. It’s notlike anyone can see her, it’s a radio. Not like anyone can address her, it’s a radio receiver.
If this law prevents anyone from having to sit thru a declaration of preferred pronouns, it’s gotta be arguably one of the best proposed laws ever to become enacted.
Laurel says
Jimbo: That’s definitely arguable. If “…nobody cares what the preferred pronouns are.” then why would it be “…one of the best proposed laws ever to become enacted.”? There must be better laws that people would care about.
That said, I don’t really like a person calling themselves “they” as it refers, grammatically, to more than one person. It could refer to a crowd. I remember once, while in a New Orleans bar, that a patron referred to another as a “shim.” He was being sarcastic at the time, but when you think about it, it actually makes sense!
Deborah Coffey says
Um, it’s not “pretending.” It has everything to do with chromosomes and genes. If you love science, then read some.
Bill C says
Ever thought about why men have nipples too?
Laurel says
Bill C: Yes. :)
For those (not you Bill) who think everything is black and white, all embryos start out as female. When hormones kick in, which can vary, if the child is to be male, the labia becomes the scrotum, and the clitoris becomes the penis. Later on, breasts do not develop on most males, but the nipples are still in place.
Later in life, after menopause (men have it too) the man’s breasts enlarge, and women grow chin hairs (damn it), remnants of mustaches and beards. Men get more feminine features, while women get more masculine features with the shifting of hormones.
What’s also interesting is some people have more than two nipples, and it’s quite common. Also, all embryos start out with tails.
Things aren’t so black and white. Maybe we shouldn’t be so judgemental on the subject.
JimboXYZ says
Some have to be shut down before their declaration of personal pronouns becomes a hostage crisis. As a public speaker the introduction is a critical moment to engage & gain the audience. Annoying & insulting the audience’s intelligence is going to alienate me every time. Why do it every time they would have something to say. I’m not there to insult or offend anyone, Yet after a name introduction, the preferred pronouns declaration happens. Is it obvious I hear a woman’s voice on the radio & then personal pronouns are traditionally feminine ? That time banditry lost me as the intended audience. My time is valuable, I don’t need to filter out the obvious that is immaterial to the agenda of what the speaker is trying to gain as a concept. That’s what would make it the greatest law ever, the audience should not be held hostage by a personal pronoun terrorist.
Laurel says
Jimbo: I hear what you are saying. Still can’t be the “greatest law ever,” you know that.
Young folks don’t see it quite the same. I think that they are more excepting as they haven’t been with standard pronouns for very long. I also think, that over time, there will be more adjustments to the language as it may become as tedious to the youth as it is to you, and me. You may have to just grin and bare it for now, and see what direction it takes. Maybe new terminologies.
Every generation has their styles and angst. When I was young, the boys with long hair were “hot!” They were tormented, however, by others who claimed “Is he a boy or a girl?” Some were beat up because of it. Now days, when I look at young people, I cannot fathom how all those piercings and tattoos are at all attractive to anyone! Ugh. It’ll pass.
Back to genders. It’s always been that way, physically, but now people are liberating themselves to be who they feel are their authentic selves. Legislation cannot make it go away, nor should it.
And so it goes.