DeSantis Press Sec defends calling “Don’t Say Gay” bill opponents pedophiles: “A hit dog hollers”

After implying on Twitter that those who oppose Florida’s anti-LGBTQ “Don’t Say Gay” bill are pedophiles, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) press secretary, Christina Pushaw, continues to defend her words.

In an email to The Florida Phoenix in response to calls for her resignation, Christina Pushaw doubled down on the belief that those who don’t support the bill support the “grooming” of children.

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And in a tweet responding to out state Rep. Carlos Smith’s criticism of her disgusting remarks, she implied he is a sex offender, saying “A hit dog hollers.”

“It’s inappropriate for adults to instruct children in VPK-3rd grade (ages 3-9) about sexuality,” she wrote in her emailed statement. “There is no good reason a teacher needs to talk to a 7-year-old about sex, any questions a child has at that age should be addressed by their parent or guardian.”

“Talking about adult topics with young children is a tactic of groomers, and as I said, not everyone who opposes the bill is a groomer — but they apparently don’t see a problem with adults instructing very young children about sexual topics. And sadly, that creates an environment where grooming can happen.”

But the bill doesn’t just ban discussions about sex.

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Officially known as the Parental Rights in Education Bill, it says teachers cannot “encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” It also says parents can sue their children’s schools for failing to adhere to these rules.

The bill has passed the Florida House and is awaiting a final vote in the Senate.

In Pushaw’s original tweet, she wrote that the bill should be considered an “Anti-Grooming Bill.”

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“If you’re against the Anti-Grooming Bill, you are probably a groomer or at least you don’t denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children,” she said. “Silence is complicity. This is how it works, Democrats, and I didn’t make the rules.”

If you’re against the Anti-Grooming Bill, you are probably a groomer or at least you don’t denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children. Silence is complicity. This is how it works, Democrats, and I didn’t make the rules.

— Christina Pushaw