Florida Mayor Donna Deegan was slammed by “Disgusted” Republicans for her decision to participate in River City’s Pride events. Here’s the full story.
The Event
In an online post, Mayor Deegan expressed her joy in celebrating diversity and inclusion by making history as the first mayor to appear as the Grand Marshall of the River City Pride parade.
The Greatest Love a Mayor Can Give
For River City Pride organizers, Mayor Deegan’s participation was a moment of unparalleled honor.
A post on the Pride event’s Facebook page read, “Your love and compassion for all citizens of Jacksonville, no matter who they are or who they love is the greatest love a mayor can give and we as an LGBTQ+ community feel your love!”
Republicans Opposed Her
Despite the outpouring of support, there was a segment of local Republicans who vehemently opposed Mayor Deegan’s participation.
Rise in Anti-lgbtq+ Sentiment
Jacksonville has witnessed a distressing rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment over the past year.
This includes the controversial mandates within the Duval County school district and divisive calls for an anti-LGBTQ+ pledge at the Jacksonville First Baptist Church.
The Accusation
Local Republicans, notably Representative Dean Black, expressed his strong disapproval.
Black went on to claim that explicit materials were distributed to children during the parade and that he and the rest of the Duval GOP were “disturbed and disgusted” to see the mayor’s participation
Morally Repugnant
He said, “At best it is beneath the dignity of the mayor to attend events that seek to push sex on our children. At worst, it is morally repugnant for any person, let alone the mayor, to be endorsing or supporting such behavior.”
Stop Sexualizing Our Children
“We call on our elected representatives to take further steps to prevent this from happening again. It should not take legislation to enforce this commonsense principle: stop sexualizing our children,” he added.
The Mayor’s Office Released a Statement
In the face of mounting criticism, Mayor Deegan’s office released a statement defending her participation in the Pride parade.
The statement read, “Mayor Deegan attended the River City Pride Parade to show her support for our LGBTQ+ community and commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
Did Not See Any of the Items That Were Alleged
The statement also added, “During her participation, she did not see any of the items that were alleged to have been present. What she did witness is people and families coming together to celebrate the beautiful mosaic that is Jacksonville.”
Online Users Shared Their Views
Several online media users expressed their thoughts on the incident.
One user wrote, “You’re well on your way to rapidly turn the City of Jacksonville into a California hellhole!”
Should Be Removed From Office
Another user added, “Should be removed from office. No politician or anyone who does this should be in a position of authority. She has violated the trust of families, individuals, and CHILDREN as a representative has shown to be a FRAUD.”
Maintain the Moral Bottom Line of Society
A third user commented, “Why is this activity supported and recognized by the government? We must maintain the moral bottom line of society and not be affected by these people.”
The post Florida Republicans Criticize Mayor’s Participation in Pride Event, Expressing Disturbance and Disgust first appeared on Pulse of Pride
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Teo K. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
