Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Suozzi says his comments on Florida's 'Don’t Say Gay' bill were 'inartful'
By
Jon Campbell
Published Apr 19, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Ron Adar/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
By
Jon Campbell
Published Apr 19, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Rep. Tom Suozzi wants to make clear: He doesn’t support Florida’s controversial new law restricting discussion of sexual identity in schools — despite saying some aspects of it were “reasonable” and made “common sense” just last week.
Suozzi is a Long Island Democrat challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul from the right in this year’s primary. He’s leveled attacks against her on crime, the budget and what he calls a lack of experience. On Tuesday he held a virtual press conference to criticize the governor for the shoddy vetting process that led to her appointment of since-arrested, now-former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin.
But during the question-and-answer period, Suozzi was asked about his recent comments on 77 WABC’s Bernie & Sid in the Morning, in which he called Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill a “very reasonable law not to try to get kids in kindergarten to be talking about sex.”
Suozzi said his prior comments were “very inartful in the way I spoke.” He said he opposes both the law – which all but bans discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in grades K-3 – as well as Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of its biggest boosters.
“I want to clear up any misunderstandings: I oppose Gov. DeSantis,” Suozzi said. “I oppose the, Don’t Say Gay bill, full stop. I oppose them. I fully support LGBT families.”
Critics of the Florida law, including many Democrats, claim the recently signed measure will hurt children who are struggling with their LGBT identity. Supporters say it will leave it up to parents to decide when to broach the topic of sexual identity with young children.
Suozzi’s initial comments on thel Florida law came on Thursday, when host Sid Rosenberg asked him about the law, calling it by its formal name rather than the “Don’t Say Gay” moniker pushed by opponents.
Rosenberg said the law “prohibits teachers from talking sex, genitals, stuff like that, with kids in kindergarten through third grade.”
“Do you support that Parental Rights Act or are you of the Democratic persuasion?” Rosenberg said.
Suozzi responded: “I think it’s a very reasonable law, not to try and get kids in kindergarten talking about sex. I mean, that’s very reasonable, and so I totally understand that. I wish it wouldn’t become such a hot-button issue [where] people are just attacking each other – it's just common sense. I don’t want some teacher talking to my kid, in kindergarten or first grade, about their sex parts. I mean, it doesn’t make sense.”
Suozzi went on to say he was “very much in favor of equal rights” and “treating gay people fairly, and treating them like they’re human beings.”
On Tuesday, Suozzi said he was responding to the concept raised by Rosenberg that kindergarteners would be taught about “sex and genitals.”
“I was very inartful in the way that I spoke,” Suozzi said. “I should have recognized, I should have said very firmly that what that law did was inappropriate.”
He continued: “I think that most people think that we shouldn’t talk to kids about sex in kindergarten and first grade. I think that common sense says that. And existing law says that in most states, that you're not talking about sex education until fifth grade. But the law does much more than that, and I should have talked about the overall law instead of talking about sex and genitalia.”
Suozzi is one of three major Democrats seeking the nomination for governor, along with Hochul and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
The primary election is set for June 28.
Tagged
florida
new york
governor's race
Politics
Tom Suozzi
Jon Campbell
Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal at JonCampbellNY.90.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting
Police say a Rockland County man was fatally shot during what appeared to be a road rage incident on Tuesday night.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 21, 2026 at 4:26 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 21, 2026 at 5:43 p.m. ET
NYPD officer faces disciplinary trial 10 years after killing Delrawn Small
Officer Wayne Isaacs will go on trial in January on a charge that he used improper force when he shot and killed Delrawn Small in East New York in July 2016.
By
Ben Feuerherd
News
NYPD officer faces disciplinary trial 10 years after killing Delrawn Small
Officer Wayne Isaacs will go on trial in January on a charge that he used improper force when he shot and killed Delrawn Small in East New York in July 2016.
By
Ben Feuerherd
NYC adult daycare operators charged with committing over $500K in Medicaid fraud
By
Caroline Lewis
Port Authority eyes $117M fix to Manhattan roadway where falling debris smashed cars
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Bronx couple starved their 3-year-old to death, indictment says
By
Catalina Gonella
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .