Florida colleges are closing LGBTQ+ centers due to DeSantis’ “Anti-Woke” campaign.

This blog originally appeared at THEM.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law last year prohibiting Florida College System schools from sustaining DEI programs such as LGBTQ+ centers.

This week, the University of North Florida (UNF) closed three offices focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in compliance with a law enacted last year that bars state funding for such initiatives.

As reported by WTLV, the Intercultural Center, Interfaith Center, LGBTQ Center, Women’s Center, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UNF have been closed this week. Additionally, the Victim Advocacy Program, responsible for addressing sexual misconduct on campus, has been transferred to the office of the Dean of Students, according to UNF Media Relations Manager Amanda Ennis.

Since last year, the University of North Florida (UNF) has been gradually closing all five offices, including the LGBTQ+ center, following the enactment of Senate Bill 266 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This bill prohibits Florida College System schools from maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs like LGBTQ+ centers. Additionally, state-funded schools are barred from engaging in political or social activism and offering courses based on theories of systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege. The legislation, authored by state Sen. Erin Grall, who previously served in the state House of Representatives, has been part of a series of DeSantis-approved bills, including various abortion restrictions and the anti-trans “Safety in Private Spaces Act.”

In January, the Florida Board of Governors, responsible for overseeing the state university system, announced plans to gradually eliminate these programs, prompting protests on campuses. Carlos Guillermo Smith, a policy director at Equality Florida, a LGBTQ+ advocacy group, condemned the Board for complying with Governor DeSantis’ directives. Smith expressed disappointment, stating, “The Board of Governors had the opportunity to hit the brakes, but instead, shamefully followed their censorship agenda off a cliff in service to DeSantis’s failed political ambitions,” in an interview with NBC.

According to Ennis’s statement to WTLV, employees who previously worked at the now-closed offices “have transitioned to other available positions within the university.” Prior to the closure of the programs, several staff members chose to depart from the university. Some of them joined OneJax Inc., an interfaith diversity nonprofit that separated from its affiliation with UNF in July last year.

“I realized I needed to find another avenue for this important work, or it would simply cease to exist,” explained Matt Hartley, who previously served as the director of UNF’s Interfaith Center and now holds the position of director of interfaith programs at OneJax. This statement was made in an interview with the Florida Times-Union back in November.

With a history of opposing LGBTQ+ rights, DeSantis has directed his political agenda towards DEI programs as a central component of his ongoing “anti-woke” campaign in Florida. In early 2023, he effectively gained control of the board of New College, a progressive liberal arts institution, and in August of the same year, he eliminated the university’s gender studies program through a motion proposed by board member Christopher Rufo, known for his involvement in the anti-LGBTQ+ “groomer” panic. DeSantis’ actions have sparked frequent protests from students, some of whom have alleged experiencing police brutality during demonstrations.

Over the past few years, anti-DEI policies have become increasingly common, particularly in conservative strongholds. In March, Alabama enacted a law prohibiting DEI programs and courses, labeling them as “divisive concepts.” Additionally, the law mandated strict segregation of multi-stall restrooms based on sex assigned at birth. In another instance, Republicans in March attempted to defund DEI programs through multiple amendments to the omnibus spending package. However, these efforts were thwarted, and the final budget did not include such provisions.