DeSantis ad mocks men who compete in women’s sports: ‘Real men’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis released an ad titled “Real Men of Women’s Sports,” mocking biological men who have “hacked the system.”

“Today we recognize the men who’ve hacked the system,” the narrator said. “Once mediocre in the men’s division, now cream of the crop in the women’s.”

The ad called out biological men playing in women’s sports, saying they went from “mediocre” playing in men’s sports to “champion” playing in women’s sports.

“You couldn’t cut it with the boys, so you pushed women off the podium,” it said.

“Without you, sports would be fair. Without you, women’s sports would be for, well, women.”

Following the ad, the DeSantis team released new merchandise including T-shirts, hats, beverage coolers and pint glasses with the phrase “Freedom Heavy” and “brewed in the free state of Florida” on them.

In 2021, DeSantis signed a new law that prohibits Florida public schools from allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports.

DeSantis is staunchly against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Last year, he signed a proclamation declaring Virginia swimmer and Sarasota resident Emma Weyant the “rightful winner” of the 2022 NCAA championship over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

“Since she is a native Floridian from Sarasota, I, Ron DeSantis, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby declare in Florida that Emma Weyant is the rightful winner of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Women’s 500-yard Freestyle, congratulate her on yet another significant achievement, and express pride that she is a Florida resident,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis called out Lia Thomas – a male who competed against Weyant in a women’s event and won – without referencing his name.

“WHEREAS, a male identifying as a woman was allowed to compete in and was declared the winner of the race by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Emma was determined to have come in second place,” he said.

DeSantis blasted the notion that men are being allowed to compete in women’s sports, saying that the NCAA “is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud.”

“In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota’s Emma Weyant as the best women’s swimmer in the 500y freestyle.”