Florida Republican state Representative Webster Barnaby has come under fire for his remarks during a recent speech at the state capital, where he likened transgender people to “mutants" from X-Men.
Speaking about the Florida House Bill 1521, which seeks to criminalize the use of public bathrooms by transgender people, Barnaby stated that there are “people that live among us today on planet Earth that are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet.”
Barnaby, who represents the city of Deltona, also called transgender people “demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world.”
You can hear his remarks in the video below.
Barnaby's comments have been widely criticized by activists and politicians, with many calling out the demonization of transgender people.
Democratic state Representative Kristen Arrington, who represents Kissimmee, spoke up in support of transgender activists, celebrating their "bravery" and assuring them that there are many who understand and support them.
She said:
“Also to tell that I see you, hear you, understand and love you. Definitely, I’m still a little bit thrown off from the last comments here and just really want to let you all know that there are many here that understand and support you.”
Many have condemned Barnaby's remarks and expressed their support for the transgender community.
HB1521 has now been approved by Florida’s Commerce Committee and is headed for a vote by the entire House. It seeks to criminalize the use of public bathrooms by transgender people, an issue that has been heavily debated in recent years.
Last month, transgender Florida State University senior Kaleb Hobson-Garcia addressed the Florida legislature to speak out against the measure.
Dressed in a suit and sporting a full beard, Hobson-Garcia challenged lawmakers, asking whether they would like him to use the women's restroom if the bill passed. He argued the bill is "rooted in trans misogyny" and "a hatred of trans women" and non-passing trans people.
According to Hobson-Garcia, the passing of the bill would endanger his safety and potentially lead to hostile confrontations both inside and outside of restrooms.
