DeSantis picked a fight with the LGBTQ community that went national, and could reverberate

It’s a debate that has roped in Disney, prompted a skit on Saturday Night Live and even compelled Luke Sykwalker to weigh in.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis knows how to get people talking, and usually is the one steering the conversation to favorable political ground. That’s been a tougher task with HB 1557, legislation formally known as the Parental Rights in Education act but labeled by critics the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

DeSantis is poised to sign the bill into law. The roiling political debate generated by the legislation is certain to continue after the ink dries on the governor’s signature, though.

DeSantis and his supporters say they welcome the fight, but there are signs the governor is not as sure-footed on this issue. Polling on the bill has been mixed.

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DeSantis has been remarkably adept at turning hot-button debates about COVID-19 public health policy to his advantage. Taking on LGBTQ rights activists may be a different story.

The governor and his supporters seem especially upset about how successful critics of HB 1557 have been in branding the bill with the “Don’t Say Gay” catchphrase. They are pushing back hard against that label, noting the words don’t appear in the bill.

DeSantis has slammed what he calls “false narratives” about the legislation. This week he said critics of the bill are “in favor of injecting sexual instruction to 5-, 6- and 7-year-old kids.”

Previously: Florida's Ron DeSantis attacks Disney over company's lobbying against 'Don't Say Gay' bill

The governor’s spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, also has kept up a constant stream of criticism about media coverage of the bill, while taking aim at the legislation’s critics.

Pushaw said anyone who opposes the bill is “probably a groomer,” a term for people who prey on children and one that outraged LGBTQ activists.

The legislation states that: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

DeSantis says the bill simply is about ensuring sensitive conversations are handled by families, not school staff.

Critics worry that the bill is vague enough to have a chilling effect on students even talking about their LGBTQ families in school.

“While the words don’t say gay don’t explicitly appear in the bill, as a gay parent I’m concerned that it’s deliberately vague language leaves room for it to be interpreted that way,” said television host Andy Cohen. “Like if my son went to school and talked about his gay dad during class and the teacher engaged, under your vague, hateful law that could be considered illegal?”

Cohen also argued that the supporters of the bill are “pretending to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.”

“There’s not a mass conspiracy of kindergarten teachers who are plotting to teach children to be gay,” Cohen said. “This is one big dog whistle. You’re scaring people into spewing hate and discrimination at the LGBTQ community.”

LGBTQ activists mobilized against the bill and are drawing considerable support, with students walking out of school to protest the legislation and Disney workers walking off the job this week amid concerns over how the company responded to the bill.

Saturday Night Live lampooned the bill in a skit and Mark Hamill, the actor who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars movies and sequels, tweeted the word “gay” repeatedly in solidarity with opponents of the legislation.

Pushaw claimed in a tweet that HB 1557 is backed by two-thirds of the country.

Yet a recent University of North Florida survey found that 49% of Florida voters oppose the legislation and 40% support it. An ABC News/Ipsos survey found that 62% of voters nationally oppose the language in the legislation.

Conversely, a Politico/Morning Consult survey of voters nationwide found support for the language in the bill, with 51% in favor of “banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade” and 35% opposed.

And a recent survey by Alvarado Strategies found that even Democrats might be supportive of the actual language in the bill, even as the party has staunchly opposed the legislation. The survey of 701 likely Democrat primary voters in Florida found 52% are either somewhat or definitely opposed to teaching about sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade.

DeSantis is certain to sign the bill. He said so at a press conference Tuesday, noting that the signing will come “relatively soon.”

How the legislation is framed undoubtedly factors into how some people view the bill, which is one reason the governor’s supporters are so eager to push back against the “Don’t Say Gay” label.

Some political observers have argued that DeSantis is losing the messaging war on the bill.

Pushaw’s response on Twitter has been to argue that DeSantis is winning because the bill passed and the legislation is popular, but the public polling presents a muddied picture of the bill's popularity.

Leading Florida Democrats have been united in opposition to the bill, but the legislation has caused some internal division within the party.

The LGBTQ+ Caucus of the Florida Democratic Party declared it would not attend the party’s big annual fundraising event because it was being held at a property owned by Disney, which has been criticized for not taking a strong enough stance against the bill.

Democrats ended up moving the fundraiser to a different location, but not before revealing more dysfunction within a party that has been plagued by such problems.

Follow Herald-Tribune Political Editor Zac Anderson on Twitter at @zacjanderson. He can be reached at zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis to sign so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill but that won't end debate