Content Filed Under: Florida
All relevant news and information regarding LGBTQ non-discrimination in The Sunshine State.
I’m an LGBTQ teacher in Florida, and I’m not protected
The Ledger • July 5, 2021, 11:49 am I am an educator, and my highest priority is making sure my students have an education that sparks their curiosity, encourages them to dream and prepares them for the future. This is not just my job; it’s my calling. Fulfilling my calling means that I also strive to support and nurture my students by honoring their individuality and uniqueness. Yet, as an LGBTQ educator here in Florida, I don’t always feel seen, protected, or supported myself.Federal laws protecting LGBTQ people against housing discrimination are a must
South Florida Sun Sentinel • June 28, 2021, 11:41 am Twenty-six years ago, I was diagnosed with HIV and thought my life might be over. Back then, the health department didn’t offer any advice on living with the virus, so I was convinced my diagnosis was a death sentence. I had friends and acquaintances who contracted HIV and died from AIDS. I woke up every day and pondered if I would meet a similar fate.Pulse shooting spurs effort to understand LGBTQ struggles
Orlando Sentinel • June 10, 2021, 10:22 am Five years ago, a mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 53 more. This was one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history targeting the LGBTQ community, particularly LGBTQ people of color.Uphold the God-given dignity of every American, including LGBTQ people
South Florida Sun Sentinel • May 4, 2021, 3:34 pm As a Presbyterian pastor, I have always been committed to speaking my conscience. When I came to know LGBTQ people and learned the discrimination they sometimes face, it was incomprehensible to me that no federal law exists to protect them. I believe dignity and respect are values that should never be absent in our laws.Trans students simply want to play the sports they love – and inclusion is the way to go
Openly • April 16, 2021, 1:21 pm As a former Olympic women's gymnast, I believe trans people should be fully included in sportThe Senate should pass the Equality Act
South Florida Sun Sentinel • March 9, 2021, 12:47 pm The Florida Commission on Human Relations recently announced its intention to enforce the Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County and extend protections to LGBTQ Floridians, not only in employment but in other critical areas of daily life as well. The commission will now hear claims from people who allege they are being discriminated against due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.Anti -discrimination protections for LGBT people like me should be universal
Florida Today • February 13, 2021, 12:30 pm This year, our community celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Bostock case, affirming that Title VII’s employment non-discrimination protections extend to people like me who identify as transgender. This was certainly something to celebrate; yet there is still plenty of work to be done to ensure that all, including LGBT people, are protected from discrimination under the law.Despite progress, LGBTQ Americans need federal protections against discrimination
Miami Herald • January 14, 2021, 11:51 am This January marks the sixth anniversary of one of the most memorable days of our lives — the month when marriage equality became legal in Florida. We’ve since been living the dream that we always wanted of building a family with our 10-year-old son, Blake. But fighting for our freedom to marry was only one part of what we need to accomplish. We’re now asking U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to do what is right and support federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans and families like ours, so that Blake can grow up in an America where everyone is protected.LGBTQ protections must be restored 10 years after ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
Orlando Sentinel • December 11, 2020, 2:03 pm Ten years ago I excitedly watched as a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), the discriminatory policy that for two decades prohibited lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the U.S. military. Over the course of its enforcement, more than 13,000 qualified service members were discharged because of their sexual orientation.In Crisis, LGBTQ+ Health Care Discrimination Thrives
The Advocate • December 10, 2020, 2:00 pm Anti-trans discrimination is alive and well in doctor's offices; federal action is desperately needed.Florida and America are ready for equality for all
Tallahassee Democrat • December 6, 2020, 1:47 pm If the recent election has told us anything, it’s that America is ready to move on from the harsh tenor and scapegoat politics that have dominated headlines for the past four years. Not only are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris strong supporters of nondiscrimination protections for all LGBTQ Americans, the President-elect said enacting the Equality Act would be a top legislative priority during his first 100 days in office. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill in 2018, but GOP leaders in the Senate refused to hear it.What to Expect When You’re Electing: 2020
By Shane Stahl • November 2, 2020, 9:51 am Not only is the highest office in the land up for grabs, but newly elected officials could consider and pass federal and state legislation to protect LGBTQ people in key areas of everyday life including housing, employment, and public spaces.Hispanic Heritage Month: A Story Collection
By Shane Stahl • October 7, 2020, 12:34 pmAs Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close it’s important to lift up the voices of Hispanic and Latinx LGBTQ people, who may face discrimination on multiple levels, including their sexual orientation or gender identity.