Two U.S. representatives from Florida, Randy Fine and Greg Steube, recently sent a letter to an Irish dancing competition’s organizers seeking to bar a transgender girl from participating in a championship. The Republican lawmakers’ stance did not sit well with some Florida voters, who criticized their actions.
According to Advocate, Fine and Steube sent a letter to the Dublin-based An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha and the Irish Dance Teacher’s Association of North America ahead of a competition scheduled to take place in Orlando from July 2 to 7. In the letter, they asked the organizations to “stop allowing boys to compete in and win girls’ categories in Orlando,” citing Florida’s 2021 Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.
The law bars transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s competitive sports. The letter specifically objects to one competitor who had previously competed in the regional championships and qualified for the event.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has sided with Fine and Steube and said that the state could pursue legal action against the organizations involved in the competition.
Floridians Criticize U.S. Reps Randy Fine and Greg Steube
Reddit users on r/Florida expressed outrage at the two Republican politicians after discovering they were trying to bar a transgender girl from competing. One of them said, “Florida GOP legislators are obsessed with gender, full of bigotry and just plain ignorant.” Others agreed: “Do trans women have a biological advantage at dancing? You deserve healthcare and an affordable life, not this nonsense distraction.”
Someone else accused the politicians, saying, “These dudes have a whole team of people looking for trans people just existing somewhere. Just to torment them for the sake of headlines. What a way to live.”
Others took a more joking tone in their criticism: “Oh no, not my Irish dancing; whatever shall I do as a non-Irish person who doesn’t dance competitively (like most Floridians). We’re going back to the stupid ages and witch trial mentality.”
Overall, users seemed tired of seeing the same politicians focus on cultural issues so often while, in their view, doing little else: “It’s always Fine. Always. Our state is cooked purposely putting clowns like this in office.”
It is still unknown whether the organizations will bar the transgender girl from participating in the upcoming competition, but if they allow her to compete, they could face a legal challenge.
