Miami

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Congratulates Endorsed Candidates

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Florida LGBTQ+ Caucus

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

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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.

The Trevor Project Condemns Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Bill 

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The Trevor Project Condemns Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Targeting LGBTQ Students

The bill would effectively erase LGBTQ students and history by banning classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

January 20, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, condemned the Florida House Education & Employment Committee for passing HB 1557/SB 1834, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, erasing LGBTQ identity, history, and culture — as well as LGBTQ students themselves. The bill also has provisions that appear to undermine LGBTQ support in schools and include vague parental notification requirements which could effectively “out” LGBTQ-identifying students to their parents without their consent.

“The Trevor Project’s research has found that LGBTQ youth who learned about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year. This bill will  erase young LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet by policing their identity and silencing important discussions about the issues they face,” said Sam Ames (they/them pronouns), Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project. “LGBTQ students deserve their history and experiences to be reflected in their education, just like their peers.”

The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that more than 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. According to a recent poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of The Trevor Project, 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth—and two-thirds of all LGBTQ youth (66%) — say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. When asked about proposed legislation that would require schools to tell a student’s parent or guardian if they request to use a different name/pronoun or if they identify as LGBTQ at school, 56% of transgender and nonbinary youth said it made them feel angry, 47% felt nervous and/or scared, 45% felt stressed, and more than 1 in 3 felt sad.

If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678. 

About The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.

Will Michelle Rayner be the First Out LGBTQ Member of Congress from Florida?

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Michelle Rayner for Congress

The Victory Fund has endorsed Michelle Rayner for the US House of Representatives District 13 seat. If she wins, Rayner will become the first out LGBTQ member of congress from Florida. District 13 includes the cities of St. Petersburg, Largo, and Clearwater. The primary election takes place August 13th, 2022, and the general election will take place November 8th, 2022.

Victory fund writes ….

Civil rights and social justice attorney Michele Rayner made history in 2020 when she was elected as the first openly queer Black member of the Florida legislature and immediately established herself as one of the strongest advocates for underserved communities. Now, she’s ready to do more for her constituents by bringing their fight to Washington.

Michele was raised by a family of changemakers in Pinellas County. Her parents both integrated the University of South Florida in the early 1960s, with her mother going on to become one of the first Black social workers in St. Petersburg and her father successfully putting himself through engineering school while working in a warehouse. Her parents established themselves as community leaders and set an example for Michele with their dedication to service.

After law school, Michele joined the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s office, a position she was drawn to because she felt it was where she could do the most good for the most vulnerable in her community. While serving as a public defender, she learned the importance of truly listening to and steadfastly advocating for clients who have limited agency.

Michele was called to ensure justice again when she became an attorney for Markeis McGlockton’s family, working alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Markeis was shot and killed in an altercation in a Clearwater parking lot, reigniting the debate over Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law 6 years after the death of Trayvon Martin. During the 2019 trial, the killer was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The experience made it clear to Michele that running for the legislature could help her do more to fight unjust laws like Stand Your Ground and prevent future tragedies from occurring.

Growing up, Michele’s father always told her: “Help others, do the right thing and most of all, always keep your head up high.” To this day, Michele keeps her head up and will continue to do so as a leader for her constituents, ensuring an equitable recovery from COVID, protecting voting rights, and demanding real justice for underserved communities in Congress.

Michele currently lives in St. Petersburg with her wife Bianca and their dogs.

LGBTQ Guide to Miami

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LGBTQ Miami

Miami Beach is an award-winning LGBTQ destination filled with spirit and pride offering a multitude of experiences that cater to gay travelers from around the globe. From new, “hetero-friendly” hotels debuting stateside and must-visit drag brunch shows, to the iconic Miami beach Pride Parade next month, Miami Beach is like no other place in the world, embracing and celebrating the gay community all 365 days of the year. 

“Miami Beach has a long history of welcoming gay travelers and offering a variety of events, hotels, restaurants, bars and destinations that makes anyone in the LGBTQ community feel at home,” said Steve Adkins, Chairman of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). “More than 1.2 million LGBTQ travelers visit our destination each year and we are dedicated to continuing our concerted efforts to accommodate this coveted traveler segment through ongoing, city-wide initiatives.”

Travelers looking for a gay-centric stay on Miami Beach this year can choose from a number of Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority picks including:

What to Do:

  • Princess, Out There (March 8) – The iconic duo will be premiering their live narrative video album that takes on cultural misogyny and the Divine Feminine at the Bass Museum.
  • Winter Music Conference (March 25-28) – Check out Miami’s LGBTQ Underground Panel during the city’s premiere musical event, which provides the opportunity for music lovers from all over the globe to gain industry insights, and connect with other music lovers, all while enjoying beautiful Miami Beach.
  • 11th Annual Miami Beach Pride Parade (April 7-8) – The mission of Miami Beach Pride is to bring together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their friends, allies, and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ community.
  • Outshine Film Festival (Starts April 18) – The biannual film festival highlights the local LGBTQ+ community. With film screenings and events throughout the city, it’s a can’t miss event to celebrate contemporary and classic queer cinema.

Where to Stay:

  • Axel Hotels – The internationally renowned LGBTQ hotel brand will call Miami Beach home in 2019, the chain’s first US location, that will include a destination restaurant, spa and community experiences.
  • Hotel Gaythering – This award-winning, iconic gay-owned hotel in Miami Beach is a boutique destination with “handsome industrial” design. Fully equipped for gay vacationers and locals alike with amenities such as an onsite gay bar with daily events and weekly specials, and clothing-optional, men-only gay sauna, jacuzzi, and steam room.

Where to Eat + Drink:

  • Front Porch Café – Stop by this beloved gay-owned institution that has been serving up the best breakfast in town for over 20 years and don’t miss the iconic pancakes.
  • Palace Bar – Brunch on the weekends is destination event on Ocean Drive and Palace Bar brings out all the stops with their legendary bottomless brunch + live drag shows.
  • Big Pink –Located South of Fifth, the restaurant is an all-hours scene for anyone looking for a retro diner experience to recover after a late night out.
  • Icebox Cafe – a staple on Miami Beach for 20 years, this gay-owned culinary destination offers up breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner and is even home to Oprah’s favorite chocolate cake.

For more information on the best gay-friendly ways to experience Miami Beach in 2019, download the Miami Beach app at http://www.miamibeachapi.com/.

Judge Preliminarily Green-Lights Lawsuit Against Conversion Therapy Ban

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Florida GLBT Equality

Equality Florida Press Release — This week a Florida federal Magistrate Judge recommended that the City of Tampa be barred from enforcing part of its Conversion Therapy Ban Ordinance during a pending legal challenge. The federal Magistrate Judge also recommended that the case could proceed on limited grounds while recommending other claims should be dismissed. There is no timeline for the federal District Court Judge to act on the Magistrate Judge’s recommendations.

The City of Tampa is one of twenty local governments in Florida that has banned so-called “conversion therapy” on minors. Conversion therapy, a widely debunked practice, seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Nearly every mainstream​ ​medical and mental health association has spoken against this practice. Previously, the federal Ninth and Third Circuit courts have refused to block conversion therapy bans.

“The fact remains that LGBTQ minors are at risk of fraudulent and dangerous so-called ‘conversion therapy,’” said Equality Florida Public Policy Director Jon Harris Maurer. “This lawsuit is being driven by Liberty Counsel, the same far-right extremists who recently attacked a bipartisan, anti-lynching bill that unanimously passed in the U.S. Senate just because it includes LGBTQ people. Equality Florida will not be deterred from protecting LGBTQ youth, and we applaud the City of Tampa’s leadership for taking a stand to do the same.”

Jose Vega, a Floridian who endured almost six years of conversion therapy, responded to the news:

“As a conversion therapy survivor, I know just how critical it is to protect minors from this dangerous practice. Conversion therapy is life-altering. It almost shattered my life. We cannot allow anti-LGBTQ forces to roll back the progress we have made in protecting young people from the horrors of conversion therapy.”

For more information, visit www.eqfl.org.

David Richardson Running for District 27 House of Representatives

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David Richardson

David Richardson, currently serving in the Florida State House of Representatives, is running to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 27th District.    If he succeeds, Richardson will be the first openly gay man elected to Congress from Florida.

David Richardson is a bold progressive running for US Congress in order to advocate for responsible and forward-thinking solutions to the problems we face on the local, state and national levels. Upon winning election to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, David became the state’s first-elected openly gay state legislator. In Tallahassee, he quickly earned the respect of his colleagues thanks in part to his groundbreaking work on criminal justice and prison reform, support for sensible gun violence prevention measures, promotion of traditional public schools, and steadfast commitment to equal rights for the LGBTQ community. In Washington, David will stand up to the Trump Administration by fending off its assaults on our progress while offering sensible alternatives to the extremist Republican agenda.

He’ll work to implement a single-payer healthcare system, reinstate the Paris Climate Accord, reform our prison and criminal justice systems, and protect as well as expand upon the great strides we have made in this country on the rights of women, Hispanics, African Americans, the LGBTQ community and other minority groups.

David is exactly the kind of fierce and tenacious Democratic lawmaker we need in DC right now. His candidacy presents us with our best opportunity in the entire country to send a courageous and principled progressive to Congress, to flip a Republican district blue, and to fight back against a president who lacks the moral authority to lead.

Find out more at www.davidforflorida.com.