Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praises UK Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch over ‘anti-woke’ stance
"I commend her and her efforts to make sure that this is not corrupting British society."
Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, has praised the UK government’s equalities minister, Kemi Badenoch, for her ‘anti-woke’ stance.
The US Presidential hopeful was recently visiting the UK as part of a several-stop trip abroad. DeSantis is perhaps best known for the shameful ‘Don’t Say Gay, Don’t Say Trans‘ law.
Officially called the Parental Rights in Education bill, the law effectively bans the discussion of LGBTQ topics in schools. It was recently extended to cover all school year groups.
DeSantis has also doubled down on this hateful stance by banning gender transition treatment access for minors.
Whilst here DeSantis took the time to speak to the Telegraph, where the 44-year-old Republican shared his thoughts on the visit.
DeSantis claimed Kemi Badenoch, the Business and Trade Secretary who is also responsible for Equalities, “complimented” his work fighting “woke ideology.” DeSantis has previously said Florida is where “‘woke’ goes to die.”
“I commend her and her efforts”
Of his meeting with Badenoch DeSantis said: “She complimented what we are doing in Florida. She committed that it is what they are trying to do in Britain.”
Badenoch’s appraisal of DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policies may not surprise many given her own troubled relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.
DeSantis later said: “I commend her and her efforts to make sure that this [‘woke’ ideology] is not corrupting British society.”
He stated Badenoch “is such a strong, outspoken leader in the United Kingdom.”
Furthermore, DeSantis’ staff later tweeted: “she has been branded by British media as the ‘anti-woke darling of the right’ (a badge of honor!).”
In the interview, he further mentions that his intention is to “fight the ‘woke’ in the legislature.”
DeSantis is currently embroiled in a battle with Disney following the company standing against the ‘Don’t Say Gay, Don’t Say Trans’ bill.
“When you start talking about the sexualisation of minors and young people and elementary kids in school, that’s wrong, and we as a state stand up and say that’s wrong,” DeSantis opined to the Telegraph.
“Disney’s involvement as a company has been a huge mistake for their brand.”
Disney is now suing DeSantis, and as CNN reported, DeSantis’ side is fighting back with its own lawsuit.
Both lawsuits follow a decision by a board appointed by DeSantis to strip Disney of responsibility for the public services and governance in its 25,000-acre spanning parks and resorts in Florida.
“Stay tuned”
DeSantis also addressed if he intended to run for the Republican presidential nomination. His main competition would be Donald Trump, who announced he intends to run in the 2024 presidential election last November.
DeSantis previously represented Florida’s 6th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, before being elected as Governor in 2018.
“I have to fulfil the promises I made,” he says, referring to his reelection as governor. “I’m going to go through our legislative session, get the people’s business done.”
He also shared he won’t be making a decision until that process is done. His final note is one of a worrying precedent for the upcoming presidential race: “stay tuned.”