Ron DeSantis: “Say Gay!”: Street Performer Trolls Florida Gov

Ron DeSantis is pursuing an ultra-conservative policy: under the governor of Florida and candidates for the Republican presidential candidacy, abortions in the “Sunshine State” are to be almost completely banned from the sixth week of pregnancy. In protest against the US government’s immigration policy, which he found too lax, he flew migrants from Texas to the posh holiday island of Martha’s Vineyard in democratically governed Massachusetts at taxpayer expense. In response to the Black Lives Matter protests, he wanted to give extenuating circumstances to motorists who, because they might be “fleeing the mob”, rush into protesters and kill or injure people – which a judge stopped on the grounds of unconstitutionality.

DeSantis acts as a fighter against a left-wing woke ideology. This includes the fact that he has largely banned teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity from schools. It is forbidden by law from preschool through eighth grade and restricted in sixth through twelfth grade. That means neither teachers or carers nor children are allowed to talk openly about these topics or use terms like gay, lesbian, bi, queer or trans. Critics have called the ban that has been in force in Florida since March 2022 and was tightened again in May the “Don’t Say Gay” law. In English: “Don’t say homosexual.”

Artist plasters Orlando with pro-LGBTQ slogans

On the occasion of “Pride Month” in June, in which people from the LGBTQ community around the world celebrate openly dealing with their sexual identity and the diversity of society, street artist Corie Mattie has now launched a guerrilla campaign against DeSantis’ campaign against everything Woke. Backed by businesses run by or in solidarity with queer people, she plastered the central Florida city of Orlando with the slogan, “Say Gay!”

Mattie covered traffic lights, power poles, lamp posts and walls with colorful stickers and tear-off slips, sprayed graffiti on paths and walls and distributed flyers. It read messages like, “Love can’t be banned,” “Love in a way Florida would ban it,” and “Say gay.”

“Coming back to Orlando is very personal,” Mattie, who lives in Los Angeles but has long called Disney World home, told the Huffington Post. “While exploring my sexuality and working a 9-to-5 job, Orlando provided a safe environment that allowed me to explore relationships with women and express myself artistically.” The experiences she had in Florida had a fundamental influence on her and played a decisive role in her development into the street artist and activist she is today, the mid-30s recalls.

Mattie sends DeSantis a strong message

Her campaign aims to make it clear to DeSantis and other arch-conservative Republicans that the LGBTQ community “cannot be silenced or sidelined,” Matties said. It grew out of an initial idea to send protest stickers to her social media followers in Florida. “The enthusiastic response from the volunteers was overwhelming and signaled that this movement has meaning beyond a simple sticker campaign,” said the artist.

Mattie’s most famous artwork depicts Disney characters Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck performing oral sex – another message to DeSantis. The 44-year-old has had his sights set on the entertainment group since it criticized its “Don’t Say Gay” ban last year. He’s trying to strip Disney World of its self-governing theme park status and has threatened to build another theme park or even a prison nearby.

“Through the power of art, public advocacy and dialogue, I want to do what I do best: challenge these harmful policies, disrupt the narratives that perpetuate them and fight for equality and justice,” said Mattie den purpose of their work and campaign. “It’s always about the power of the people versus the people in power. And we are the damned people.”

Sources: ,