Hypocritical Ron DeSantis can’t beat the “hidden heels” accusations

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has spent his political career waging war on anything he chooses to call “woke,” with a particular focus on bullying trans and gender-nonconforming kids. So it continues to be no surprise that the failed presidential candidate is a vastly insecure man.

In a recent example, DeSantis held a Thursday morning press conference alongside Moms for Liberty representatives to once again defend his education agenda—which has included labeling anything from Black history to the acknowledgment that queer people exist as “indoctrination.” During Q&As, a reporter pointed out the hypocrisy between his stance on gender-affirming care and his, well, physical stance.

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“Governor DeSantis, you have spoken out about the woke agenda of gender fluidity and also have come out against gender-affirming care,” journalist Corey Hill said.

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“So I was hoping you could square your opposition to gender-affirming care and for people choosing their own gender identity with your frequent wearing of lifts and you hoping to choose your own height measurements.”

“Nice try,” DeSantis said quickly. “Next.” As he attempted to move on, there were audible chuckles in the crowd.

The accusation that DeSantis wears lifts in his shoes to appear taller has been an ongoing joke for months now. In photos, he is frequently seen wearing boots with toes that appear curiously deflated. Donald Trump added fuel to the fire by claiming DeSantis wears “hidden heels.”

But, according to Politico, there may be more to this story than a simple meme. Three expert shoemakers weighed in on the photos, and their opinion is the lifts are real, adding an estimated 1.5” inches to his height. Given that taller candidates statistically fare better and given that conservatives idolize strongman leaders, it’s not a stretch to see why DeSantis would stretch his stature.

If heels are what DeSantis needs to feel like a real man, more power to him. It’s just a shame that he also has to leverage the power of the government to bully minorities in order to feel that way.