Florida Really Doesn’t Want Us Celebrating Pride

May 27, 2024
ALEXANDER

Florida Really Doesn't Want Us Celebrating Pride

Are we really surprised about anything that comes out of Florida anymore? Well, last week the state announced that there will be no rainbow-colored lights allowed on any bridges. The Sunshine Skyway, the four-mile bridge that connects St. Petersburg to Tampa Bay, has displayed Pride lights for the last three years. No more!

Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state will only feature red, white, and blue lights on bridges declaring a “Freedom Summer" between May 27 to September 2, from Jacksonville to Miami Beach. The American flag colors are being used to show that Florida is “the freest state in the nation.” Hmmm...not seeming so free for the LGBTQ community.

As Floridians prepare for Freedom Summer, Florida's bridges will follow suit, illuminating in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day!
Thanks to the leadership of @GovRonDeSantis, Florida continues to be the freest state in the nation. https://t.co/FG892hO5zE pic.twitter.com/SBvxzr4ACk
— Jared W. Perdue, P.E. (@FDOT_Secretary) May 8, 2024

Leaders of LGBTQ advocacy groups are voicing their unhappiness and say that lighted displays, whether for Pride or any other occasion add to the diversity and vibrancy of the community. They also say the timing of the lighting restrictions is very suspect. Last year right before Pride month, DeSantis signed numerous bills that earned Florida the designation of being the first state to enforce criminal penalties for trans individuals using bathrooms that do not follow the sex assigned to them at birth. Also in the last year, any public drag performances have been banned, medical services for trans youth have been restricted, and limitations have even been put on trans health services for adults. Before that, DeSantis limited trans youth from playing on sports teams according to the sex they identified with. Florida also instituted the Don't Say Gay bill that at first limited any LGBTQ discussions in the classroom from kindergarten to third grade, and then expanded the reach to the end of high school. Luckily, the Don't Say Gay bill was later nullified in a court settlement.

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A post shared by Equality Florida (@equalityfl)

LGBTQ groups like Equality Florida have stated that they intend to celebrate this year's Pride to their fullest extent, not giving up the fight for LGBTQ inclusion, even in the face of so much governmental pushback.