Florida lawmaker calls trans people ‘mutants’

During testimony Monday in front of the Florida House Commerce Committee, state Rep. Webster Barnaby (R-Deltona) unleashed a transphobic rant at transgender Floridians who traveled from across the state to testify in a committee hearing on the trans bathroom ban bill (House Bill 1521), and other members of the audience in the hearing room.

Barnaby addressed those present in the hearing room stating that trans people as “mutants, demons and imps.”

“I’m looking at society today and it’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie with people that when you watch the X-Men movies or Marvel Comics — it’s like we mutants living among us on planet Earth. And, you know, some people don’t like that, but that’s a fact. 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 on the fence. There is so much darkness in our world today, so much evil in our world today, and so many people who are free to address the evil, the dysphoria, the dysfunction. 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. So I’m saying my righteous indignation is stirred. I’m sick and tired of this.

“I’m not going to put up with this. You can test me and try and take me on, but I promise you I’ll win every time. Let’s all vote up on this bill, thank you.”

Texting with the Washington Blade Monday evening, Brandon Wolf, the press secretary for Equality Florida, said: “We have people placing calls to his office demanding he resign, but let’s face it: He’s just saying the quiet part out loud. This transphobic vitriol is what’s at the core of all these policies. And the DeSantis agenda is designed to empower and embolden the bigotry.”

In a statement issued earlier, Equality Florida pointed out the Republican Committee Chair Bob Rommel allowed the tirade to continue without challenge, sitting silently as Barnaby unleashed his abuse on those in the hearing room.

“Today, parents and children, many of whom traveled hours to share their stories, had to listen to GOP state Rep. Barnaby slander the transgender community from the dais. And Republican leadership in the room refused to put a stop to it. This hideous bigotry has always been at the root of the wave of anti-LGBTQ hysteria sweeping our state. The agenda of DeSantis and his legislative cronies has always been aimed at empowering this brand of bigotry and dehumanizing the LGBTQ community. Shame on Rep. Barnaby for spewing his transphobic vitriol. And shame on Chair Rommel for sitting idly by and allowing it to happen.”