David Mariner

Historic Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center Opens

June 24, 2024 by David Mariner

The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) – the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park Service – will officially open its doors on Friday, June 28, signifying a landmark achievement in American history. Marking the 55th anniversary of the groundbreaking Stonewall Rebellion, this day stands as a powerful testament to the unyielding spirit that helped ignite the worldwide LGBTQIA+ rights movement.

The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center is a program of Pride Live in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), a bureau of the Department of the Interior. The Visitor Center encompasses 2,100 square feet at 51 Christopher Street, between Waverly Place and 7th Avenue South in New York City.

Designated by President Barack Obama on June 24, 2016, the Stonewall National Monument includes the 0.19-acre formerly known as Christopher Park and the surrounding streets including Christopher Street adjacent to the park. The Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQIA+ rights and history.

Amidst the historic backdrop of Greenwich Village, the iconic Stonewall Inn occupied two adjoining storefronts at 51 and 53 Christopher Street and stood as a beacon of resilience on June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall Rebellion took place. Forever changing the course of the LGBTQIA+ movement, the events that transpired on this day became one of the most pivotal moments in the fight for full equality. In the years that followed, the physical space underwent transformations, including separating into two separate businesses with the current bar at 53 Christopher Street reopening its doors in 1990. Meanwhile, 51 Christopher Street housed a number of different businesses.

“The National Park Service eagerly anticipates the official opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in partnership with Pride Live on June 28,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “NPS staff are dedicated to sharing the history of the Stonewall Uprising and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQIA+ equality.

The historic project began six years ago and has been led by two Queer women of color: Pride Live Co-Founders Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard, who embarked on a mission to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Stonewall.

“The journey to create the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center has been a truly remarkable and landmark moment,” said Ann Marie Gothard (she/her), Chair of the Board of Directors, Pride Live. “This required the tireless support of countless partners who are deeply committed to preserving history. With the opening of the Visitor Center, we pay homage to the brave individuals behind the historic Stonewall Rebellion. We hope it stands as an enduring and resilient symbol and serves as a beacon for generations to come, providing the unique opportunity to step foot on the site where history unfolded and where the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality was ignited.”

Serving as an educational resource, the Visitor Center will offer an immersive experience featuring a rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ history and culture through a variety of engaging programs, including in-person and virtual tours, informative lecture series, captivating exhibitions, a dedicated theater space, and inspiring visual arts displays. Upon entering the center, visitors will be guided through a multifaceted learning experience that speaks to today’s generations, encouraging them to carry forward the Stonewall legacy and the ongoing fight for full equality.

The SNMVC will also serve as home base for the dedicated Stonewall National Monument NPS park rangers, who are committed to welcoming all visitors to this site of national significance.

“The SNMVC will provide an enhanced visitor experience for those seeking to learn more about the historic movement for LGBTQIA+ equality that continues to this day. NPS looks forward to our continued partnership with Pride Live to celebrate and acknowledge the struggle for equality and accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ community,” said National Park Manhattan Sites Superintendent Shirley McKinney.

Pride Live received significant support from the Mellon Foundation, which is a Founding Partner of the Visitor Center. Championing the establishment of the SNMVC exemplifies the work of the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, which seeks to recalibrate the public knowledge and vision of the history of all communities and the multiplicity of the Americans who fought for justice and rights.

Charter Founding Partners of the SNMVC include Google (the first corporate partner to sign onto the project), American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Adam Lambert, Amazon, Booking.com, Christina Aguilera, Comcast NBCUniversal, Donatella Versace, Elton John and David Furnish, Henry R. Muñoz III and Kaia Ferrari, Hudson Yards, JPMorgan Chase, Kors Le Pere Foundation, National Park Foundation, and Trans Tech Social.

Additional Founding Partners of the SNMVC include Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), Conchita Wurst, EDG Architecture + Engineering, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Josephine Skriver (who made the very first donation to the SNMVC), Madonna, National Parks Conservation Association, New York Yankees, Orrick, Target, United Therapeutics, and Visit Philadelphia.

Founding Supporters include Advisory NYC, Alvese People Solutions, Ardea Partners, Betty, Chely Wright, Cynthia Erivo, Dan Monteavo, David Yurman, Fremont Blue Events, ID, Jamie Nicholas Design and Graphics, Lutron Electronics, Ketra Lighting, Major League Baseball (MLB), Martin Celis, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), National Women’s Soccer League, New York Giants, Orsman Design, Parente Development, Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), SAP, Target, The New York Division of Tourism (ILNY), The Walt Disney Company, United States Tennis Association (USTA), WB Engineering, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Wynn Resorts, as well as Dick Mosher, Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley, Alok Vaid-Menon, Ivan Bart, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Fern Mallis, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, Manoj Nair, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, Neil Giuliano, Rodney White and Michael P. Williams, Shoshanna Stone, and Tom Bagley.

Further support has been provided by a leading group of activists, trailblazers, community leaders and allies called the Stonewall Rebels who include Adam Lambert; Alok Vaid-Menon; Angelica Ross; Ashe McGovern, J.D., Head of Global LGBTQIA+ Affairs at Amazon; Betsy Bernard and Laurie Peter; Brad Baumoel, Global Head of LGBT+ Affairs, JPMorgan Chase; Charles John O’Byrne, Executive Vice President for Policy at Related Companies; Chelsea Clinton, DPhil, MPH, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation & Clinton Health Access Initiative; Christina Aguilera; Conchita Wurst; Craig Robinson, Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer; Doug Jensen, Senior Vice President, The Estee Lauder Companies; Fabrice Houdart, Executive Director, Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors; Geena Rocero, Author, Producer, Director; Hunter O’Hanian; John-Paul Hayworth, LGBTQ+ Audience Strategy Director, AARP; Kelly Bush Novak, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ID; Lina Bradford; Mandy Gutmann, Vice President of Communications and External Affairs, Professional Women’s Hockey League; Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, United Therapeutics; Rick Hendrix, Author; Schuyler Bailar, Educator, Author, Advocate; Shane Jordan, Author, Political Consultant; Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, Global Activist; and Torrence Boone, VP, Global Client Partnerships and NY Site Leader, Google.

Additional supporters and community partners include Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Brooklyn Pride Community Center, Brooklyn YAS, CAMBA, Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, Christopher Park Alliance, Equality Federation, GLSEN, GLAAD, God’s Love We Deliver, Lambda Legal, LGBT VC, Link NYC, Mentor NY, NOH8, NYC & Co, Queer Britain, Speak About It, Stonewall National Museum – Archives and Library, TransLatina Coalition, The Trevor Project, The Center, Ruth Ellis Center, Tenderloin Museum, Victory Institute, and Victory Fund.

The SNMVC will officially open its doors to the public on June 28. Admission is free for all visitors, and reservations can be made here.

To learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, please visit https://stonewallvisitorcenter.org/ and nps.gov/ston and follow their social media channels.

Instagram: @STONEWALLVISCTR
Twitter: @STONEWALLVISCTR
Facebook: @STONEWALLVISCTR

Texas Attorney General Paxton Sues Biden (again)

June 22, 2024 by David Mariner

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on June 11th that he is suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over a recent update to federal regulations that would require fair treatment of transgender Medicaid recipients. This rule would require all state Medicaid programs to cover health care for transgender patients. In light of Texas HHSC’s recent codification of an ongoing denial of coverage for transgender health care, the new federal rule (set to go into effect July 5) would have an immediate impact on the wellbeing of tens of thousands of trans people in Texas. While the Texas HHSC policy was only recently codified, reports from across the state confirm that Texas Medicaid recipients have historically been denied coverage for care related to their gender dysphoria.

With the passage of SB14 after the 88th Legislative session, which banned health care for trans youth, we’ve seen a chilling effect across the state impacting access to care for trans adults. Health care for trans adults remains legal in Texas.

Statement from Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas:

“Health care for transgender adults remains legal in the state of Texas. And while Ken Paxton seems to have little regard for medical freedom, it’s essential that trans adults who use Medicaid have access to vital care. Texas Doctors know what they’re doing, and trans Texans need care. The new rule from HHS will be a lifeline to many Texans. I hope Paxton’s insurance pays for his medical needs, and one day I hope he’ll be generous enough to want the same for his fellow Texans.”

Philly Sets Guinness Worlds Record™ for the Largest Attendance at a Drag Queen Story Time

June 20, 2024 by David Mariner

Philadelphia, the birthplace of America, today secured a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the “largest attendance at a drag queen story time reading.” To kick off Pride Month, the Philadelphia Gay News hosted the event, sponsored by Visit Philadelphia®, which brought together famed Philadelphia drag performers to read children’s stories to a record-setting audience of 263 people. Taking place at the National Constitution Center, the country’s leading place for constitutional education and debate, this achievement strengthens and reinforces Philadelphia’s reputation as a welcoming destination for all.

Brittany Lynn, drag performer, LGBTQIA+ activist, literacy advocate and head of the award-winning Philly Drag Mafia, served as emcee for the event, featuring the following books and performers:

Hello, Philadelphia!, written and illustrated by Martha Day Zschock and read by Brittany Lynn
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
‘Twas the Night Before Pride, written by Joanna McClintick, illustrated by Juana Medina and read by Aurora
Publisher: Candlewick
Elmer, written and illustrated by David Mckee and read by Icon Ebony Fierce
Publisher: HarperCollins
The Family Book, written and illustrated by Todd Parr and read by Athena Chanteuse Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows, written and illustrated by Jessika von Innerebner and read by Morgan Wells
Publisher: Dial Books

“Philadelphia is where our country was founded, where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed, and where some of the most significant LGBTQIA+ moments in U.S. history took place,” said Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News. “Creating history-making moments like we’ve done today, hosted on land synonymous with our country’s fight for fundamental rights and freedom, serves as a powerful reminder of the resiliency, talent and culture that make up the fabric of our great American city.”

“To start Pride Month with the world’s largest drag story time in Philadelphia is extraordinarily fitting for the birthplace of freedom and modern democracy,” said Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer at Visit Philadelphia. “Last summer, Visit Philadelphia hosted a small drag story time in front of Independence Hall that we filmed and used as part of a national TV spot, so it was only fitting for us to support a bigger, bolder, record-setting version this year. The event aligned perfectly with our In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union series that highlights Philadelphia as an inclusive and welcoming place for all – and that’s exactly what Philadelphia Gay News demonstrated for the world today.”

For more details on how visitors can celebrate Pride Month in Philadelphia all month long, go to https://bit.ly/VisitPhiladelphiaPrideMonth.

Men Having Babies Launches Initiative to Encourage Inclusive Employer Surrogacy Benefits

June 17, 2024 by David Mariner

Men Having Babies (MHB) is working to increase awareness and transparency about the availability of workplace family building benefits, to encourage more employers to offer such benefits to gay couples and singles, and expand them to cover surrogacy-specific costs as well. A social media campaign, employer database and an advocacy toolkit are part of this new effort, underwritten by EMD Serono and MHB’s other Impact Partners.

Since its inception in 2012, MHB’s mission has included “promoting the affordability of surrogacy-related services through advocacy, financial assistance, and the encouragement of transparency.” In recent years, MHB has expanded the scope of its advocacy to directly tackle the systemic financial, legal and societal barriers our members face. Much of this involves advocacy to remove discriminatory insurance and taxation laws, including:

Initiating and collaborating with RESOLVE and NCLR (National Center for Lesbian Rights) to create model legislation for IVF mandates that are inclusive of “all those who are in need of reproductive assistance;”
Working with other nonprofits to pass legislation based on the model act in Illinois, Maine, New Jersey and Washington, DC — with similar legislation efforts ongoing in 9 more states;
Encouraging ASRM to formally amend their definition of “infertility” in line with the above model legislation;
Introducing a bill to allow tax deductions for surrogacy expenses in collaboration with several nonprofit partners.

These medical guidelines and legislative changes are significant steps in the move towards making IVF and surrogacy more accessible for queer men, but another significant area of support can come from discretionary initiatives of private companies. In fact, a growing number of large employers, including many tech, financial and pharmaceutical multinationals and even workers’ unions and local governments, are electing to offer family building benefits for recruitment, retention, and effectiveness at work. These packages typically range from $10,000 to $80,000 and may cover adoption, fertility treatments (e.g. IVF) and/or surrogacy.

MHB’s new Employer Surrogacy Benefits Initiative plans to tap into this corporate shift and contribute to its expansion and better utilization. The MHB initiative therefore has three main goals:

Showcasing and commending companies that are offering generous and inclusive fertility benefits that are applicable for surrogacy;
Allowing prospective parents to find employees who offer inclusive benefits in a searchable database;
Incentivizing more companies to offer inclusive family forming benefits.

For each of the featured companies, MHB is building a card that includes searchable fields on the type of benefits offered, the amounts that can be used per journey or over a lifetime, and even how they score based on the Corporate Equality Index that is published annually by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Additional details include the geographical scope of the provided benefits (some multinational corporations offer different benefits in the USA and overseas), and the fertility management company the employer is using to manage these benefits. Men looking to grow their family can then search this database to find details on their company or look to possibly change jobs to a new company with more financial support.

Many company cards also include personal testimonies from members who have successfully received benefits from them to grow their families. As MHB is adding more companies to the database, news stories, email blasts and social media promotions are being used to feature best practices and highlight inspiring personal stories.

The third component in MHB’s Inclusive Employer Surrogacy Benefits initiative is the development of an Advocacy Toolkit to help men who work at companies who do not currently offer inclusive benefits. RESOLVE offers a great toolkit for guiding people towards getting fertility insurance coverage at work, but MHB’s members are facing obstacles that go beyond those of “medically” infertile people. The MHB toolkit will include resources and evidence-based rationales for offering benefits that go beyond basic infertility coverage in the following ways.

Eligibility is defined in an inclusive manner to “all those who are in need of reproductive assistance,” according to the 2023 definition of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
Benefits extend also to non-medical expenses associated with the surrogacy journey.
Benefits are offered to all employees, including those who are located outside the USA.

Men Having Babies hopes the Database, Social Media Campaign and Advocacy Toolkit will contribute to a broader corporate and cultural change, and to a reality where more companies will be encouraged to increase or start to offer similar benefits.

MHB’s strong, motivated community is key to the success of this campaign. Through their support and information, MHB will be able to provide the first crowd-sourced, verified database of employer surrogacy benefits that is continuously updated and searchable. Through the transparency and advocacy of the campaign and employee toolkit, MHB hopes that more men will be able to realize their dreams of becoming parents.

David Mariner Appointed to State Council on Aging

May 19, 2024 by David Mariner

David Mariner has been appointed by the Governor to serve on the Council on Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities.

The Council on Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities was established under Delaware state law (29 Del. C. § 7915) to provide advice to the Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities on programs and projects to benefit older persons and adults with physical disabilities in the state. The council consists of 15 members, each appointed to a three-year term by the Governor.

Prior to Sussex Pride, David has served as the Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth and as the Executive Director of The DC Center for the LGBT Community. This year David was recognized by the Delaware News Journal as one of Delaware’s most influential people .

David has served on the Board of Directors of Empowering the Transgender Community, which supports the local transgender community in the District of Columbia. He also served on the Board of Instigators of the Diverse City Fund, which works to nurture community leaders and grassroots projects that are acting to transform DC into a more just, vibrant place to live.

David is an active participant in Sussex Pride Aging, a new initiative to advocate for LGBTQ+ Older Adults in Sussex County and greater Delaware.

Follow Sussex Pride Aging on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter

Gay Conversion Therapy Survivor Shares Her Story

May 18, 2024 by David Mariner

For years, Julie Rodgers’s entire life revolved around trying not to be gay. She grew up in an Evangelical Christian family, hearing that she was “depraved, disgusting, broken, an enemy of God.” In her new memoir, Outlove: A Queer Christian Survival Story (Broadleaf Books, $24.99 paper; June 22, 2021), Rodgers tells how she went from ex-gay poster child to helping bring down Exodus, the largest ex-gay organization in the world, and to building a whole, healthy, and happy life with her wife Amanda Hite.

Rodgers’s story is featured in the documentary Pray Away, executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, which will debut on the streaming service in August, 2021. A Tribeca Festival Official Selection (2020), it will be shown at this year’s festival, in a sold-out screening on June 16.

Rodgers grew up at the center of the debate between Evangelical Christians and the LGBTQ community—a battle that continues to rage in headlines and courtrooms across the country. Hers is a painful coming of age story: a teenage girl who wants to be “good,” to be loved, to belong, but whose own mother considers her an abomination. When she came out to her family at 16, she was immediately enrolled at a conversion therapy ministry called Living Hope—an organization that is active and growing to this day. Conversion therapy has been widely discredited by medical and psychiatric organizations. Rodgers hopes her story will help young LGBTQ people who have been harmed by efforts to change their orientation.

Julie’s story is also that of a naive, earnest young woman who began to understand how she was being used by evangelical leaders to support their narrative about homosexuality, and to protect them from being branded as bigots. “I was seen as one of a handful of unicorn gays who would parrot conservative views and shield them from accusations of homophobia,” she writes of her time as a speaker at Q conferences and as the first openly gay associate chaplain at Wheaton College, an Evangelical school. “I was a pawn in their battle against my own people.”

All the while, she was self-harming, beset by self-loathing. “What’s a queer person to do,” she asks, “when the only people we’ve ever known and loved believe our love is disordered and our bodies are broken?”

“Evangelical leaders had willfully lied about the people I loved,” Rodgers writes. “They actively spun stories that denigrated beautiful queer people, drumming up fear in Evangelicals to mobilize them to support their preferred policies in every sphere of society.”

After years of trying to fit in to the conservative world she had grown up in, Julie “didn’t have the will to live another day at the center of the evangelical debate about queer people.”

Now 35, Rodgers is comfortable in the skin she once burned—out, affirming, feminist, politically progressive, and still Christian. Her faith looks a lot different now, with more room for mystery and more questions than answers. “The day I married Amanda I bore my scars with pride in a sleeveless gown. I thought they told a story about neurotic queer who was broken and deranged. I finally understood the scars told a story of a girl who was born into a system that tried to kill her and by the grace of God, I survived.”

About the author:
Julie Rodgers is a writer, speaker, and leader in the movement working for full inclusion for LGBTQ people in Christian communities. She is featured in Pray Away (2020), a documentary about the moment to pray the gay away. Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time. Through her writing and speaking, Julie inspires people to reimagine belonging with her queer reflections on faith, public life, and chosen family.

Tegan & Sara Foundation and GLMA Launch LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory

November 6, 2022 by David Mariner

Tegan and Sara Foundation, the nonprofit started by award-winning musicians Tegan and Sara, alongside GLMA– Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality, the foremost organization of LGBTQ+ medical professionals, are announcing the launch of the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory with key support and collaboration from global health service company Cigna. Additional support was provided by Google.

he LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory is a free, searchable database of doctors, medical professionals and healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ people in the United States and Canada. The directory, developed by Tegan and Sara Foundation, GLMA and Cigna, will reach vital and diverse audiences of medical professionals and LGBTQ+ patients in need of care.

LGBTQ+ patients deserve healthcare providers who they can be open and honest with —free from fear of stigma or bias. The simple act of connecting patients with care is a solution to this problem.

Over 15 years ago, GLMA built the very first directory of LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals. Through their vast membership, the directory grew to be the most respected resource of its kind in the United States. Together with input from LGBTQ+ health experts and community leaders, this resource has been updated with innovative search functionality, the highest standards of accessibility and a new set of guiding principles.

Cigna has been a lead supporter of the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory and the LGBTQ+ community overall. This includes its commitment to its employees who identify as LGBTQ+, as well as its commitment to address the health disparities the LGBTQ+ community often faces.

Cigna also recognizes the importance of providing cultural competency resources and education to health care providers in order to better equip them to understand and address disparities among customers and within our communities. Cigna engages providers on inclusivity and culturally competent care, providing them with access to LGBTQ+ specific trainings and resources.

LGBTQ+ Health Disparities

LGBTQ+ people experience a number of health disparities. They’re at higher risk of certain conditions, have less access to health care, and have worse health outcomes, including:

Greater risk of suicide, suicidal thoughts, mood disorders and anxiety, eating disorders, and alcohol and substance abuse
Transgender women, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino men have the highest risk for HIV infection
Older LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to rate their health as poor and report more chronic conditions while having less social support
LGBTQ+ people are less likely to have a regular healthcare provider
Lesbian and bisexual women have higher rates of breast cancer, and transgender men and women are at greater risk
LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of HPV infection and related cervical or anal cancers

The LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory identifies and provides a platform for healthcare professionals that understand these disparities and reflect the unique needs of LGBTQ+ patients in their care.

The LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory is now open for provider registration and patient use. Learn more here.

About Tegan and Sara Foundation

Tegan and Sara Foundation (TSF) was founded in 2016 by Tegan and Sara to address inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ women. TSF’s mission is improving the lives of LGBTQ+ women and girls. This mission is founded on a commitment to feminism and racial, social and gender justice.

About GLMA

GLMA – Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality is the world’s largest association of LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals. GLMA utilizes its multidisciplinary membership to drive advocacy, education, and research to achieve LGBTQ+ health equity.

SOURCE Tegan and Sara Foundation

Raleigh Gay Bars and Restaurants

September 11, 2022 by David Mariner

Ruby Deluxe
http://rubydeluxeraleigh.com
415 S Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Underground bar featuring playful decor, theme nights & a snug stage for live bands & DJs.

Flex Nightclub
http://www.flex-club.com/
119 S Harrington St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Gay club in a basement setting with karaoke, drag shows, country dancing & more.

Legends Nightclub
https://legends-club.com/
330 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601
LGBT club with a dance floor, video bar, game room, patio & performance theater.

Fox Liquor Bar
https://ac-restaurants.com/fox/
237 South Wilmington Street Entrance on, E Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Taproom serving cocktails plus meat & cheese boards in sophisticated, upscale environs.

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Congratulates Endorsed Candidates

August 28, 2022 by David Mariner

The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus congratulates its endorsed candidates who won their primaries on August 23rd. The Caucus endorsed in specific races, and echoed several endorsements that came from our chapters. Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement:

“Florida Democrats are on the offensive this cycle. We’re taking on the Republicans for their poor management of state government, neglect of key economic issues like the property insurance crisis, support for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and fealty to authoritarians like Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. 2022 will be a Democratic success.”

Caucus Campaign Director Dave Cutler congratulated the candidates:

“Congratulations to our endorsed candidates who won their primaries yesterday. These candidates have demonstrated their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and have earned voters’ trust. We look forward to helping ensure their victories in November.”

Among our victorious endorsed candidates with primaries are:

Statewide Candidates

Val Demings, US Senate
Aramis Ayala, Attorney General

Congressional Incumbents

Rep. Kathy Castor
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Rep. Frederica Wilson
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Congressional Challengers/Open Seats

CD-3 Danielle Hawk
CD-10 Maxwell Frost
CD-23 Jared Moskowitz
CD-27 Annette Taddeo
CD-28 Robert Asencio

Florida Senate Candidates

SD-5 Tracie Davis
SD-34 Shevrin Jones
SD-35 Lauren Book

Florida House Candidates

HD-13 Angie Nixon
HD-22 Brandon Peters
HD-36 Deborah Poulalion
HD-38 Sarah Henry
HD-40 LaVon Bracy Davi
HD-58 Bernard Fensterwald
HD-62 Michele Rayner
HD-92 Kelly Skidmore
HD-98 Paula Hawkins-Williams
HD-105 Marie Woodson
HD-106 Jordan Leonard
HD-109 Ashley Gantt
HD-113 AJ D’Amico
HD-119 Gabriel Gonzalez

# # #

The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party. The Caucus is a statewide organization with chapters in 25 counties across Florida from Pensacola to Orlando to Miami – including most major metropolitan areas and many rural counties in between.

Gender and Sexuality Pride Flags

December 4, 2022August 18, 2022 by David Mariner

Here is a quick guide to some of the most common flags used in the LGBT community (and beyond) to describe gender and/or sexuality related identities. While definitions are provided for reference, please know definitions of many of these terms are evolving and changing all the time. I encourage you to explore these identities further to learn more.

Agender Pride Flag

Agender refers to a person A person who does not identify themselves as. having a particular gender. The Agender Pride Flag was designed by Salem X in 2014.

The flag features a mirrored design of seven horizontal stripes. The black and white stripes represent an absence of gender, the gray stripe represents semi-genderlessness and the central green stripe represents nonbinary genders.

Asexual Pride Flag

An aromantic is a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships. An asexual person may or may not experience romantic attraction (see aromantic) but will feel no need to act out that attraction sexually.

In the Summer of 2010, a number of asexuality sites, led by users on AVEN, came up with a number of designs for an asexuality flag, then held a multi-stage vote to determine the winner. The selected design was created by AVEN user standup

Aromantic Pride Flag

There are two different versions of the Aromantic Pride Flag. This is the one currently most commonly used.

Bisexual Pride Flag

Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior toward more than one sex or gender identity, or romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity; this latter aspect is sometimes termed pansexuality.

The bisexual pride flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. The first bisexual pride flag was inspired by his work with BiNet USA.

Bear Pride Flag

In male gay culture, a bear is often a larger, hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity. Bears are one of many LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity. In many communities bear clubs” have been created to provide social and sexual opportunities. Many clubs are loosely organized social groups; others are modeled on leather biker-patch clubs, with a strict set of bylaws, membership requirements, and charities. Craig Byrnes created the Bear pride flag in 1995.

Genderqueer Pride Flag

Genderqueer describes a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders. The Genderqueer Pride Flag was created by Marilyn Roxie in 2011. This flag has also been adopted by many in the Gender Non-Binary community. While some currently use these two terms interchangeably, others maintain genderqueer and gender non-binary have overlapping, but separate definitions.

Intersex Flag

Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. There are two distinct flags commonly associated with intersex identities. The first one (not pictured here) is derivative of the Trans Pride flag and is not used as commonly these days. The flag shown here was created by Intersex Australia in 2013.

Lesbian Pride Flag

While there have been different versions of the Lesbian Pride Flag over the years, this is the one most commonly used today. Emily Gwen created this flag in 2018 based on the lickstick lesbian flag . This flag retained the seven stripes from the lipstick flag, but changed the top set to orange shades. The stripes, from top to bottom, represent ‘gender non-conformity’ (dark orange), ‘independence’ (orange), ‘community’ (light orange), ‘unique relationships to womanhood’ (white) , ‘serenity and peace’ (pink), ‘love and sex’ (dusty pink), and ‘femininity’ (dark rose).

Leather Pride Flag

Leather culture is most visible in gay communities and most often associated with gay men (“leathermen”), but it is also reflected in various ways in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight worlds. Many people associate leather culture with the consensual exchange of power in romantic and/or sexual relationships. The leather flag was created by Tony DeBlase in 1989. He first presented the design at the International Mister Leather event in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. on May 28, 1989.

Nonbinary Pride Flag

Kye Rowan created the nonbinary pride flag in 2014. It was meant to be flown alongside the genderqueer flag. 17-year-old Kyle Rowan created the binary flag for existing outside binary which is symbolized by the yellow. The white represents all genders, black is no gender, and purple is a mix of genders.

Pansexual Pride Flag

Pansexuals have the capability of attraction to others regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.

A pansexual could be open to someone who is male, female, transgender, intersex, or agendered/genderqueer.

Poly Pride Flag

Polyamory is the philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time. Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.

The flag was created by Jim Evans.

The Rainbow Flag

This is the inclusive flag most frequently associated with the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, & questioning communities. The original gay pride flag flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978 and was designed by Gilbert Baker. The original Rainbow Flag had an additional hot pink stripe that is no longer used today.

Progress Pride Flag

Graphic designer Daniel Quasar has added a five-colored chevron to the LGBT Rainbow Flag to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression”.

The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized LGBT communities of color, along with the colors pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag. Quasar’s design builds on a design adopted by the city of Philadelphia in June 2017. Philadelphia’s version added black and brown stripes to the top of the Rainbow Flag, to represent LGBT communities of color.

Transgender Pride Flag

Transgender is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate. Gender identity is a person’s internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman (or someone outside of that gender binary). For transgender people, the sex they were assigned at birth and their own internal gender identity do not match. The Trans Pride flag was designed by Monica Helms in 1999

Straight Ally Flag

A straight ally or heterosexual ally is a heterosexual and/or cisgender person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBT social movements, and challenges homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.