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submitted 2 years ago by tree@lemmy.zip to c/usa@lemmy.ml

A new bill in Florida would make accusations of Transphobia would be treated as defamation. The defendant could not "prove truth" by citing a plaintiff's "scientific or religious beliefs."


A new bill introduced in Florida, Senate Bill 1780, would make accusations of discrimination towards transgender people “defamation per se,” with accusers on the hook for a hefty $35,000 penalty. Critically, the bill states that if you are sued for defamation under the statutes, you cannot use the defendant’s scientific or religious beliefs or expression to prove that they are acting in a discriminatory fashion towards transgender people. These and other provisions would make it so that accusations of transphobic discrimination would be nearly impossible to prove, and would leave anyone making the accusation on the hook for damages.

The bill outlines several methods and protections for individuals accused of transphobic actions to sue their accusers. For example, one clause stipulates that a person cannot be deemed a public figure due to their association with “a video, image, or statement uploaded on the internet that has reached a large audience.” This implies that if someone is captured on video engaging in discriminatory behavior against transgender individuals, such as denying entry or using slurs, this viral content cannot establish their status as a “public figure.” Consequently, this makes it easier for them to initiate lawsuits against those who accuse them of transphobia, regardless of what the video shows.

Most importantly, the bill contains a section that would make allegations that someone is operating in a discriminatory fashion towards “race, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity” defamation per se, meaning accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia could result in hefty lawsuits. For homophobia and transphobia, there is an additional provision that would make lawsuits much more likely to succeed: defendants could not cite a plaintiff’s “constitutionally protected religious expression or beliefs” or a plaintiff’s “scientific beliefs” to prove the truth of their allegation of homophobia or transphobia.

read more: https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/florida-bill-would-make-accusations?publication_id=994764&post_id=140479556

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[-] xantoxis@lemmy.world 110 points 2 years ago

Your ideology must be going great if you need laws to punish people just for observing that it exists.

[-] pingveno@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 years ago

They complain about "leftist snowflakes", then go and try to pass legislation like this.

[-] Pratai@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago
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[-] Pratai@lemmy.ca 91 points 2 years ago

Protected hate is a very conservative thing nowadays. It’s because they're all cowards.

[-] Roopappy@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 years ago

Breaking news: Florida passes law that outlaws life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

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[-] TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social 53 points 2 years ago

So basically a "you can't sue or I'm rubber and your glue" bill to go with the "don't say gay bill". Imagine needing to put this much time into bills like this because you can't stop your hate from getting you in trouble and you would rather attack marginalized groups than do any actual governing.

[-] lolola@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 2 years ago

The rubber and glue rule. It almost kinda rhymes.

Seriously tho wtf are they doing

[-] grue@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

Seriously tho wtf are they doing

Building a dictatorship, obviously.

[-] pingveno@lemmy.ml 9 points 2 years ago

Imagine putting time into bills like this instead of solving Florida's insurance crisis.

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[-] Neato@ttrpg.network 49 points 2 years ago

Defamation is so difficult to convict on in the US because of 1st amendment protections. This new statute is DOA once a non-shitass court looks at it.

[-] pingveno@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 years ago

Yup. Defamation case law has set an incredibly high bar in the United States. There's no way this is going to stand up in court, assuming it even passes.

[-] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

The chilling effect it would have on speech in the meantime is the whole point.

[-] pingveno@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

That is where an injunction usually kicks in.

[-] dditty@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

And it's just a waste of time so Florida politicians can do performative posturing for their base instead of actual governing. More of the same

[-] Stillhart@lemm.ee 8 points 2 years ago

The problem here is that it will be quite some time before the Supreme Court is non-shitass.

[-] sub_ubi@lemmy.ml 43 points 2 years ago

If you say I'm scared one more time, I'm gonna call the cops!!!

[-] Kuori@hexbear.net 25 points 2 years ago

transphobes don't necessarily need to be called transphobes. they just need to be shot.

[-] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 year ago

Weird how hexbears act pro lgbtq while at the same time are defensive of some of the most trans and homophobic dictatorships on earth

[-] aphlamingphoenix@lemm.ee 23 points 2 years ago

Thought these guys were big on free speech. This sounds like abridging expression to me.

Don't we already have crimes like slander and libel that cover when people do this and it's not true? Thus, this law would widen that to include saying it when it is true?

[-] Adkml@hexbear.net 10 points 1 year ago

You're putting way too much thought into it.

It's so the chuds can tell their hooting crowds they're making it illegal for somebody to call them transphobic just because they said and did transphobic stuff.

Pretty sure that's the start and end of their strategy.

[-] SayJess@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 2 years ago

Jason Brodeur Is a transphobe. My friend told me that Jason Brodeur is the one who shits on the toilet seats of public restrooms. Anyways, Jason Brodeur once tried to kiss me on the way home from school. So he is totally gay now, and also shits on toilet seats, like a poorly trained dog. How much is 35,000 Floridian Meth Money in USD?

[-] Maddie@sh.itjust.works 20 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Just fucking nuke that entire shithole state to molten slag already

[-] mateomaui@reddthat.com 14 points 2 years ago
[-] grue@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago
[-] optissima@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

Sorry Trip, we need that space laser now....

[-] Stillhart@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

Or just wait for the next hurricane. Not like conservative policy is doing much to help the climate change that's making them worse every year.

[-] tacosanonymous@lemm.ee 19 points 2 years ago

At first I saw this picture and headline and thought, "Who the fuck is Florida Bill?"

[-] LaserTurboShark69@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Florida Man's cousin and brother-in-law

[-] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 19 points 2 years ago

How to guarantee you will destroy your state's economy in one move:

[-] SuperSaiyanSwag@lemmy.zip 13 points 2 years ago
[-] ComRed2@hexbear.net 9 points 1 year ago

Your free speech ends where my feelings begin! frothingfash

[-] CCF_100@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

This bill is transphobic simply for existing lmao

[-] bfg9k@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

They're evolving, just backwards

[-] Bloobish@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago

One of my joys is the knowledge that Florida will likely collapse into the sea during my lifetime and also economically collapse as the snowbirds all die off

[-] Okokimup@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

He looks like he's saying "Hans, are we ze baddies?"

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[-] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago

Truth is an absolute defense against libel.

No matter how hard you go "nuh-uh."

[-] jackpot@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

this works in the inverse, 'i fired you because my religious beliefs from my one-man religion say i have to'

[-] Auzy@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago

just let them have florida i'd say. You're all welcome here in Australia. Florida's not winning any awards anyway

[-] rynzcycle@kbin.social 9 points 2 years ago

FSM help me, but I'm about to defend Florida...

I just spent some time there, visiting a friend, and while yes, I encountered some of the worst humanity has to offer, the LGBTQ+ scene is pretty great in some places. Saw some of the best drag performers I've ever seen in Miami, at some of the warmest most inviting queer bars I've ever been to. It had the vibes of circling the wagons, but if you want in, you're welcome and "we got you".

Shit like this breaks my heart for them, but there are a lot of good people still fighting the good fight down there. Fuck Desantis and all the fascists.

[-] Auzy@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

I've never been, but I guess I just hear what the media says. Also, I'm not LGBT so I'm not really exposed to much of that stuff anyway.

So you might be right anyway

[-] BurningRiver@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago

Half the state will be under water in 20 years anyway, it’ll work itself out.

[-] unreasonabro@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

that's right rednecks, protect the problem not the solution

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this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2024
249 points (97.7% liked)

United States | News & Politics

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