‘I’m Sorry, But This Is Stupid!’ Parent Lashes Out At ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Talking Point In Heated CNN Focus Group

A CNN focus group got heated when one participant called out others for using what he called a “dishonest” argument about the Florida bill that has been branded the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

At issue was that nickname, about which Politifact has noted:

…coined by Equality Florida. The moniker “became a way for the community to articulate the very real harms this legislation makes possible,” Wolf told PolitiFact.

The legislation does not literally prohibit Floridians from saying the word “gay,” but it does prohibit classroom instruction on “sexual orientation or gender identity.” The preamble of the bill goes further, saying it is meant to bar “classroom discussion” on those topics.

On Friday night’s edition of CNN Tonight, anchor Alisyn Camerota led a “politically diverse” voter panel that got heated when someone tried to rebut criticism of the law by noting the text does not actually say “Don’t say gay” or use the word “gay” at all:

CAMEROTA: So, show of hands, how many of you are comfortable that Governor DeSantis is weighing in, in such a way, in Florida’s curriculum and education? Show of hands.

None of you are. Show of hands. Is Governor DeSantis canceling certain curriculum that he doesn’t like? Is he engaging in cancel culture when he gets rid of these certain tenants of, say, black history? Do you consider that cancel culture? Show of hands.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it’s what it looks like.

VANESSA SPENCER, CALIFORNIA PARENT: Don’t say gay.

How about don’t say gay?

ROXANNE BECKFORD HOGE, CALIFORNIA PARENT: That was not the name of (inaudible) actually.

(CROSSTALK)

NARESH VISSA, FLORIDA PARENT: Just don’t say gay. I don’t know where that come from because it’s not in any bill. I read the bill. Nowhere does it say don’t say gay.

ROBIN SCOTT, VIRGINIA PARENT: I did too.

VISSA: There’s not even the term gay in the bill.

SCOTT: And it’s allowing parents to sue the schools.

CHRIS CANDICE TUCK, VIRGINIA PARENT: Oh my, God. So, if they used the term homosexual and sexual identity and sexual orientation as (inaudible) for gay, hundreds of millions of Americans have looked at the bill in Florida that don’t say gay bill and you can sit there and say something as I’m sorry, but this is stupid as it doesn’t even say the word gay. That is dishonest. That just opens up —

VISSA: Dude, you said it as don’t say gay bill. There is nothing about the word gay. It’s being called the don’t say sex. Don’t talk about sex bill (inaudible) or don’t talk —

TUCK: It’s not about don’t talk about sex. (Inaudible)

UNKNOWN: It’s not about sex.

TUCK: — primary grades. It’s about not teaching that people of different sexual orientations and gender identities exist. That is the bill. That is the entire 100 percent point of the bill.

CAMEROTA: But one of the ways they describe it is between kindergarten and third grade. Okay? So, can you respond, Chris, to that? Is that appropriate that they’re not going to teach sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade? And I know the bill is vague. But in terms of that age range, is that something that we should be comfortable with or not?

TUCK: Until you define these terms, we will never agree. So, I don’t want my third grader to know that people with different families like ours, this absolutely. There is no reason not to teach kindergarten through third grader —

VISSA: I agree with you.

TUCK: — that people are (inaudible) — see, but you say that. This bill stops that. You say that but this (inaudible) of removing that conversation and in my school, in my county, this same bill was in effect, my children would not be able to do school projects about their family because I happen to be transgender.

They won’t be able to read books that they like to read because some of the characters are even gay. That is exactly the intent of these bills. And so that is the disingenuous part. The bill is so vague and I’m sorry to get upset, but this is just — this never ends. It’s books in school libraries. Nobody is trying to sexualize kids, nobody. It’s not happening.

CAMEROTA: Naresh, do you accept that, that it is not — nobody is sexualizing kids in public schools, that’s not happening?

VISSA: I don’t know if I necessarily agree with that. I do agree with what was just said about it — look, my son I believe has a homosexual teacher and yeah. Valentine’s Day, it’s a student (inaudible), I’ll say what did you do for Valentine’s Day, she wouldn’t be allowed to say it according to the bill from what I read and that’s part of the bill that I do not agree with but the other parts of the bill when it comes to the sexualizing, absolutely I do agree with it.

TUCK: It’s already a crime for an adult to have inappropriate sexual conversations with a child. It’s been a crime.

SPENCER: It is so clear on what the foundation of that bill is. You know, it’s okay to — for heterosexual teacher to say this is my spouse, this is my husband, this is my wife, these are my kids and nobody sexualizes that at all. We are trying to indoctrinate another generation of kids to believe that the only way to love people or to be in relationship is to be in a heteronormative relationship and that is sad. That is absolutely sad.

SCOTT: I mean, my daughter has a friend in her class with two moms and so they should be able to speak freely about that and learn about all the different kinds of family dynamics and twist it however you want, that is exactly the target. These are hateful bills. And it’s not doing anybody any good. This legislation needs to stop.

Watch above via CNN Tonight.