ABOVE: “Rhonda Santis” stickers by Chad Mize. Photo via Mize.
ST. PETERSBURG | Celebrated artist Chad Mize is selling a new sticker with his interpretation of “Rhonda Santis” – a caricature of Gov. Ron DeSantis in drag – with 100% of sales benefiting Equality Florida.
Mize first shared the artwork June 24 during St Pete Pride after seeing a viral meme of the governor in photoshopped makeup. It was created in response to Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” law, more widely known as “Don’t Say Gay or Trans,” which went into effect July 1.
“I saw the meme and thought it was funny,” Mize says. He decided to share it on social media for Pride, a post which garnered a significant amount of attention. “Sometimes we need to laugh before we cry.”
The sticker can be seen below, via Mize:
After supporters asked for products featuring the design, Mize decided to print 200 stickers. He paid for the cost of printing himself.
“This it isn’t something I would want to profit off of, and thankfully I’m in a position that I don’t need to make money off of things like this, so I decided to donate 100% of sales to Equality Florida.”
The nonprofit is the state’s largest organization dedicated to securing LGBTQ civil rights in Florida. Mize last partnered with them earlier this year when he was commissioned to design and complete a mural in Tampa highlighting LGBTQ equality.
“Don’t Say Gay or Trans” limits discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, though LGBTQ advocates argue that its vague language will silence LGBTQ students and teachers well beyond those parameters.
Equality Florida shared July 1 that it already has, pointing toward incidents in Orange County and more.
“Since the inception of this hateful policy, lawmakers have assured the public that it would not lead to censorship or erasure of LGBTQ people,” Equality Florida Senior Political Director Joe Saunders said in a statement. “But our community has always known the truth.
The law “has always been fueled by anti-LGBTQ animus and designed to further stigmatize the LGBTQ community, ban books about us, erase us from classrooms and force us back into the closet,” he continued. “It is a bigoted and dangerous law that is making Florida less safe for students and families, and we will work tirelessly to see it repealed.”
“Using art can be powerful and Equality Florida does such great work,” Mize says. “Since I have a connection with them, they were the first organization that came to mind for this.”
Mize’s 4” x 3.25” vinyl “Rhonda Santis” sticker is on sale now for $4. Click here to purchase yours and visit EQFL.org to learn more about Equality Florida’s fight against “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” and more.
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