Florida Republican apologizes for derogatory comments towards transgender community.

Republican Rep. Webster Barnaby called transgender people "demons" and "mutants" in a hearing about a bill that would make it a crime to use a bathroom that doesn't align with the gender assigned at birth. He later apologized for his comments. Transgender people have long expressed concerns about the harm of anti-transgender sentiment and the influence it could have on the violence and discrimination disproportionately faced by the community. Several bills currently being considered by the legislature restrict education, programming or curriculum relating to sexual orientation or gender identity in K-12 schools and colleges, as well as limit access to transgender health care for people under 18.