My friend and fellow FloriDUHian Deborah Newell get together each Wednesday morning, talk a little politics, and then get down to the business of poking fun at Florida. After all, America’s penis is always asking for it.
Aside from today’s typical Floriduh stories ( “Woman taken to hospital with 2-foot shark attached to arm,” “‘Big Ass Turtle’ Survives High-Speed Car Crash in Florida,” and the Florida Agricultural Crimes Intelligence Unit), we actually had a nice Florida story, this one dealing with a newly-elected Bernie Sanders delegate to the convention in July!
For the first time, Florida’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention will include an openly transgender individual.
Monica DePaul is a University of North Florida adjunct professor, a Bernie Sanders supporter, and now the state’s first openly transgender delegate. She believes public officials should reflect the country.
“People in high positions of power start looking very, very similar to one another. And that’s not the same as how the rest of America actually looks. It just isn’t,” she said.
But diversity is more than gender identity or skin color, she says.
“You can’t just take things at face value. Because then you end up with bathroom bills. Then you end up with trickle-down economics. Then you end up with people in debt for the rest of their lives. And I’d say that’s the other reason why I want to be a delegate. I want to help fix what’s been keeping everybody down,” she said.
I was joined on the show today by Hillary Keyes, long time progressive activist in South Florida, also a newly-elected Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC. We talked about the process, the fight for Bernie, and lots more.
Tomorrow, it’s Driftglass and Howie Klein… radio or not!
