Regional grocery chain Publix has turn into the newest enterprise to be caught up within the fallout of Florida’s new controversial “Don’t Say Gay” invoice.
On Saturday, Florida-based highschool pupil activist Jack Petocz known as the corporate out on Twitter, stating that he had left a long-term job at Publix over its political donations. In specific, he famous that the grocery chain had allegedly donated round $200,000 to sponsors of the “Don’t Say Gay” invoice, which is formally referred to as the Parental Rights in Education invoice.
“Today, I resigned from [Publix],” Petocz, who is part of the LGBTQ neighborhood himself, wrote within the tweet. “After 4 years of service, I was so disheartened when the company failed to even make a statement following more than $200,000 in donations to the sponsors of the Don’t Say Gay bill. Let’s all call on Publix to #StopFundingHate.”
Today, I resigned from @Publix.
After 4 years of service, I used to be so disheartened when the corporate did not even make an announcement following greater than $200,000 in donations to the sponsors of the Don’t Say Gay invoice.
Let’s all name on Publix to #StopFundingHate.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 24, 2022
He was additionally beforehand suspended from his college for main a pupil protest in opposition to the invoice.
Passed into regulation on March 28 by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, the invoice goals to dam any dialogue of gender and sexual orientation to youngsters in kindergarten by way of third grade, and some other such materials discovered to be inappropriate for older grades. It additionally empowers mother and father to sue colleges in the event that they determine that materials being taught to their youngsters is inappropriate.
Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images
Supporters of the invoice have claimed that it’s meant to forestall the sexual grooming of scholars. Critics have taken situation with the vagueness of the invoice’s different elements, nevertheless, claiming that they may very well be used to purge any and all dialogue of LGBTQ points from public colleges. They additionally warn that the invoice normally promotes additional stigmatization of LGBTQ college students and academics.
Petocz’s tweet has led to widespread criticism of Publix throughout social media, with the hashtag #BoycottPublix gaining traction on Twitter, MEAWW reported. Responding to Petocz on Twitter, civil rights activist Earl M. Johnson Jr. detailed his personal historical past with the corporate, alleging that he was handed over for a job when he was 14 years previous on racial grounds.
“Yup, I remember Publix,” he tweeted. “They would not hire me at 14 as a bag boy because they didn’t hire Black bag boys in the 80s and in the 90s clerking for a federal judge, I worked on the case where they were hammered with the largest sex discrimination class action in history at the time.”
Yup, I keep in mind Publix. They wouldn’t rent me at 14 as a bag boy as a result of they didn’t rent Black bag boys within the 80s and within the 90s clerking for a federal choose, I labored on the case the place they have been hammered with the most important intercourse discrimination class motion in historical past on the time.
— Earl M. Johnson Jr., J.D. (@earl_jr) April 24, 2022
Founded in 1930 in Winter Park, Florida, Publix operates completely within the Southeastern U.S., with over 1,200 places. Out of these shops, over 800 are situated in Florida.
Publix beforehand donated $100,000 to DeSantis’ reelection marketing campaign in December, Miami New Times reported. In the wake of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School taking pictures in 2018, the corporate additionally generated controversy when it was discovered to have donated to pro-NRA GOP Representative Adam Putnam, in addition to different conservative lawmakers in Florida.
Newsweek reached out to Publix for remark.
In addition to Publix, quite a few different corporations have caught flack for donating to Florida lawmakers concerned with the “Don’t Say Gay” invoice. In February, Popular Information reported that Comcast/NBCUniversal, AT&T, and Walgreens have been among the many corporations making such donations, in keeping with The Advocate.