LGBTQ rights advocates from across Florida walked the streets of Tallahassee and met at the steps of the Historic Capitol Thursday to protest legislation that they say would further roll back their rights.
Wearing blue shirts that said “Let Us Live,” protesters chanted, “This is what democracy looks like,” in fierce wind and rain.
“We need to start running for office,” said Jules Rayne, a community organizer for Equality Florida and Manatee County resident. “We need to be everywhere, in every school district, in every county commissioner’s seat, in every mayor’s office.”
After years of the Florida Legislature passing bills that target the transgender community, the Republican-led branch of government still isn’t letting up. There are multiple bills attempting to further prohibit state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion in K-12 schools, state agencies and higher education.
Hundreds of Floridians marched from Cascades Park to the Capitol Thursday morning for the “Let Us Live March” to protest these bills and hold a rally on the front Capitol steps with trans leaders, who said they weren’t letting up, either.
LGBTQ advocates highlighted a small win that happened earlier this week, when two anti-DEI bills, “Gender Identity Employment Practices” (SB 440) and “Prohibited Preferences in Government Contracting” (SB 1694) were postponed in their committee on Tuesday.
SB 440, sponsored by Sen. Stan McClain, R-Ocala, and called the “Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act,” would prohibit employers from being required to use certain pronouns or requiring them to use a pronoun that does not correspond to the employee’s or contractor’s sex. Critics are calling it the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work” bill.
And SB 1694, sponsored by Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, would prohibit an awarding body from giving preference to a vendor on the basis of race or ethnicity.
More than 1,000 members of the public signed up to comment during the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, which Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, R-Orlando, said attributed to the bills getting delayed. Smith said it’s evidence that “people power works.”
“All of this other stuff related to DEI is not solving any problems. It’s not improving anyone’s life, and it’s just honestly needlessly dividing us,” he said.
There are still other anti-DEI bills making their way through committees, however, including one that some say would push the controversy over book bans into overdrive and another that would potentially halt funds for efforts like domestic abuse shelters for women.
“Prohibitions and Limitations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Requirements for Medical Institutions of Higher Education” (SB 1710) was passed through the same committee that temporarily postponed SB 440 and SB 1674. That measure, sponsored by Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg, prohibits state agencies from expending certain funds for a DEI office or officer.
Another measure by McClain, the same sponsor as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work” bill, would define the term “harmful to minors,” and further limit classroom materials. “Material that is Harmful to Minors,” (SB 1692), says: “The school board may not consider potential literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as a basis for retaining the material.” That bill passed through a Senate Criminal Justice Committee and is headed to the Committee on Education K-12.
If passed, work “by Shakespeare or other very well-known authors would be on the chopping block in our public schools, which brings us in the wrong direction all over again,” Smith said.
And most worrisome for Rayne, the Manatee County community organizer, is “Official Actions of Local Governments” (SB 420), which would prohibit counties and municipalities from funding, promoting or taking official action as it relates to DEI.
It would prohibit local governments from promoting or providing differential or preferential treatment or special benefits to a person or group based on that person’s or group’s race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Critics of the bill included some Republicans, who said the bill needed more work, especially with the word “differential” versus “preferential.”
“If we provide differential treatment to a person based on sex, that could create a problem with a program that was intended for abused women, which nobody would want to get rid of,” said Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. “We really need to hone in on where you’re trying to go.”
The bill still passed along party lines, with all Republicans voting yes.
Rayne said she believes this bill, along with many of the other anti-DEI measures, are broadly written, poorly defined and don’t serve the diverse, unique population of Florida.
“It’s going to put Floridians’ lives at risk and further erase our culture,” she said. “These bills are not what people are talking about at their kitchen table.
“Culture wars are not what Floridians care about.”
We’re heading into week #3 of the legislative session — and there’s a LOT happening. But reinforcements are on the way! Soon, we’ll be welcoming hundreds of volunteers to Tallahassee for our Pride At The Capitol kick-off campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday — and we have a packed schedule! Multiple bad bills are moving through the legislative process, and it’s all hands on deck to fight back against them.
But that’s not all. Earlier this week, Jennifer Solomon — Equality Florida’s Parents and Families Support Manager and the President of Kaleidoscope PTA, which advocates for safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments for ALL students — joined parents from across the state in the Capitol for the Florida PTA’s Legislative Convention. The message from Kaleidoscope PTA was clear: we want policies that protect every student and respect every family.
Our ongoing Pride At The Capitol program is a crucial element of our goal to combat and minimize the impact of bad bills and prepare for legal challenges against any that are passed into law.
But this effort relies heavily on pro-equality supporters like YOU taking action. Your presence in Tallahassee, your stories, and your participation in committee hearings are crucial. We have a phenomenal group joining us in the Capitol next week, but we’re still signing folks up for the weeks beyond to stand with us on the front lines. Whether you can join us for a day or the entire week, find a time that works for you!
If you can’t join us in person, please consider a donation to help us get as many people to Tallahassee as possible. Every dollar counts!
Now, we’re going to take you through exactly what happened in Week #2, what’s still coming, and how you can take action.
What it does: These bills attempt to effectively End Citizen-Led Amendments that allow we the people to change the state constitution via statewide referendum. Florida already has some of the strictest requirements in the nation for citizen-led amendments, but this legislation imposes new and insurmountable barriers that put constitutional amendments even further out of reach and consolidate power toward politicians and away from the voters.
🚨Anti-Diversity In Local Government (HB 1571/SB 420)🚨
Sponsors: Sen. Clay Yarborough and Rep. Dean Black
What it does: These bills prohibit local governments from enacting DEI-related policies, ordinances, or resolutions, and can subject local officials who previously voted for them to removal from office. This outrageous state overreach censors local governments and restricts their ability to respond to community needs and priorities.
What’s coming: SB 420 has been scheduled for a vote in its first Senate Committee, Community Affairs, on Monday, March 17th at 4:00pm ET.
🚨Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work 2.0 (HB 1495/SB 440)🚨
Sponsors: Sen. Stan McClain and Rep. Rachel Plakon
What it does: This bill enacts state regulations on pronoun use in public and certain private workplaces. It shields employees from accountability for anti-trans harassment and intentional misgendering, and prohibits the inclusion of a transgender or nonbinary gender option on any job application or related employment form. The bill also prohibits LGBTQ-related cultural competency training requirements for government workers.
What’s coming:SB 440 has been scheduled for a vote in its first Senate Committee, Governmental Oversight and Accountability, on Tuesday, March 18th at 3:30pm ET.
🚨Banning Diversity & Equity In State Agencies (HB 731/SB 1710)🚨
Sponsors: Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Rep. Lauren Melo
What it does: This legislation would defund DEI in state agencies and ban state contractors and grantees from using state funds for DEI; the House bill has additional anti-DEI measures for state boards and healthcare education.
What’s coming:SB 1710 has been scheduled for a vote in its first Senate Committee, Governmental Oversight and Accountability, on Tuesday, March 18th at 3:30pm ET.
We’re keeping up the pressure on lawmakers to support and co-sponsor these bills, and we need your help.
🏆 The Health Care Freedom Act (HB 823/SB 932) 🏆
Sponsors: Rep. Anna V. Eskamani and Sen. Shevrin Jones
Restores Reproductive Rights: Repeals Governor DeSantis’ 6-Week Abortion Ban, reinstating abortion access up until the start of the third trimester, in line with broader medical and legal standards.
Protects Medical Care For Transgender People: Eliminates restrictions on essential medical care for transgender individuals, ensuring access to treatments supported by leading medical authorities like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.
🏆 Freedom to Learn Act (HB 811/SB 930) 🏆
Sponsors: Rep. Angie Nixon and Sen. Tracie Davis
Safeguards Academic Freedom: Repeals provisions of the Stop WOKE Act and the “Don’t Say LGBTQ” law, protecting the right to teach honest history, discuss systemic injustices, and fully address LGBTQ topics in educational settings.
Promotes Inclusive Education: Allows higher education institutions to fund DEI programs and activities on campus, and requires the inclusion of LGBTQ history in public education, alongside Holocaust education, African American history, and women’s contributions, and restricts book-banning practices by limiting who can raise objections to school materials to only parents of public school students.
Our public policy team has been reviewing hundreds of bills filed this legislative session. View our full legislative slate of priority bills Equality Florida supports and opposes.
Florida has been setting the example for bad policy that’s now being taken up at the federal level. Earlier this week, we held a virtual briefing with national partners to discuss ways we’re resisting attacks from the Trump Administration in the courts.
The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that provides crisis support for LGBTQ young people, surveyed almost 1,000 young LGBTQ Floridians about their mental health, and 48% felt the community they live in was accepting of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
But more than two-thirds, or 69%, say they or their family members have considered moving out of Florida because of LGBTQ-related politics and laws. It wasn’t clear where they considered moving.
“Florida might be free, but Florida is not welcoming,” said Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens.
Since 2022, the Republican-led Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis have pushed multiple anti-LGBTQ laws in what they call the “Free State of Florida,” including banning “gender ideology” from K-12 schools, criminalizing trans people for using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity and restricting health care for trans people.
Florida’s Log Cabin Republicans, an organization of LGBTQ+ conservatives and allies within the Republican Party, did not respond to the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s request for comment in time for publication.
The Trevor Project also reported the following data about Florida’s LGBTQ youth. In the past year:
37% contemplated suicide
11% attempted suicide
67% reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety
54% reported experiencing symptoms of depression
24% were physically threatened or harmed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity
63% experiences discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity
Jones said the passage of the Parental Rights in Education Act, called “Don’t Say Gay” by critics, and the “Stop WOKE Act” created a hostile environment for minorities in Florida. “Don’t Say Gay” prohibits the teaching of classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation, and the “Stop WOKE Act” restricts how race is discussed in schools, colleges and workplaces.
The legislation also prohibits any teaching that could make students feel they bear personal responsibility for historic wrongs because of their race, color, sex or national origin.
DeSantis inveighed against ‘oppressive ideologies’
“We believe an important component of freedom in the state of Florida is the freedom from having oppressive ideologies imposed upon you without your consent,” DeSantis said when he signed the bill in 2022. “Whether it be in the classroom or in the workplace. And we decided to do something about it.”
On Tuesday in DeSantis’ State of the State speech, he made fun of Canada’s travel boycott of the U.S. and of Canadians who say they are canceling their vacations over President Trump’s tariffs and policies.
“We continue to set tourism records; 2024 saw more than 142 million visitors come to the state of Florida. This includes 3.3 million visitors from Canada,” DeSantis said. “That’s not much of a boycott in my book.”
A clip shared on social media over the weekend shows a Black individual confronting a Neo-Nazi group in Orlando, Fla.
Trigger Warning: This story contains quotes of racist and homophobic slurs.
Those neo-Nazis just can’t help but spread their racist, sexist, homophobic, bigoted, and white supremacist views wherever they go.
But over the weekend, one Black individual who came across them was not having it.
On Saturday, a neo-Nazi group was spotted marching off a highway near a suburb of Orlando, Fla. In videos recorded by residents and journalists, the Nazis, holding swastika flags, can be heard repeatedly shouting “Faggots!” and “White Power!” while also performing the Nazi salute.
More than halfway through the clip, another demonstrator can also be heard shouting, “Vote for Ron DeSantis!”
As a Black man drove past the demonstration, he slowed down to voice his opinion, using a speaker in his car to shout at the neo-Nazis. In the video, when it became clear he was stopping to confront the group, several of the marchers began shouting, “Nigger! Nigger!”
In response, the Black man, driving a Black truck, smiled and shouted, “Why y’all got on masks though?! Why y’all got on masks though?! Why y’all got on masks though?!”
According to Newsweek, the individuals “protesting” are members of the Goyim Defense League (an antisemitic hate group) and the Blood Tribe (a neo-Nazi group).
As more details emerge about the shooter in the tragic Jacksonville incident, and with Newsweek reporting that the Orlando area has seen an increase in far-right protests, it’s clear that members of these hate groups are growing increasingly brazen—masking their faces, but still making their presence known.
Ryan Christopher Palmeter, the individual responsible for fatally shooting three Black people in Jacksonville, Fla. last weekend, used an assault rifle adorned with a swastika and hurled racial slurs at his victims before killing them.
As we’ve seen with other hate crimes, it only takes one dangerous white supremacist to inflict a lifetime of pain on communities they view as outsiders.
Florida’s 12 public universities are eliminating courses that may “distort significant historical events” or “teach identity politics” to comply with S.B. 266, a law passed by the state legislature in 2023. This law restricts schools from using state or federal funds for initiatives advocating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), or promoting political and social activism. In addition, it has led to the closure of LGBTQ+ student centers and the dismantling of cultural support programs on campuses.
As a result, universities are scrapping classes such as Anthropology of Race & Ethnicity, Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies, Sociology of Gender, Women in Literature, Chinese Calligraphy, The History of Food and Eating, Humanities Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality, Social Geography, and a course on Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion. A class examining racial and gender inequality and crime, titled Social Problems, is also being impacted, according to a Politico report.
Some of these courses have been removed entirely, while others have lost their “general education” designation, meaning they will only be available as electives for upper-level students in certain disciplines, rather than as part of the broader general education curriculum. Additionally, some course descriptions and student outcomes have been revised to ensure compliance with the law.
The Board of Governors will review each institution’s proposed course offerings for the 2025-26 academic year and may suggest changes. Schools that refuse to comply could risk losing vital state funding or face other penalties from Governor Ron DeSantis and the Board.
Critics argue that this law undermines academic freedom, enforces government-approved viewpoints, and could drive talented students and educators away from Florida’s universities. Some also warn that the law could jeopardize the accreditation of certain schools that are required by national accreditation bodies to have DEI programs as a core component of their education. Others have expressed concern about the vague language of the law, which leaves many unsure about what is permitted and what is not.
Historically, decisions about course content have been left to individual universities. However, this law is part of Governor DeSantis’ broader effort to challenge DEI policies and shift the state’s educational institutions toward a more conservative ideology.
While signing the law in May 2023, DeSantis said, “DEI has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong. If you want to do things like gender ideology, go to Berkeley, go to some of these other places… You don’t just get to take taxpayer dollars and do whatever the heck you want to do and think that’s somehow OK.”
This law follows DeSantis’ 2022 signing of the so-called Stop WOKE Act, which bans educational programs on racism and gender-based discrimination in schools and businesses. That law is currently on hold as courts review its constitutionality.
Federal Judge Mark E. Walker, who blocked the Stop WOKE Act in 2022, described the law as “positively dystopian,” saying it “officially bans professors from expressing disfavored viewpoints in university classrooms while permitting unfettered expression of the opposite viewpoints.” He emphasized that academic freedom should allow professors to express their perspectives, as long as they do not only align with state-approved views.
Activists claim investigation by Ron DeSantis’ agency into potential fraud is an act of voter intimidation.
Florida law enforcement officials are investigating voters who signed a petition to place a high-profile abortion rights measure on this fall’s ballot, with officers reportedly showing up unannounced at residents’ homes. Activists argue this approach is intended to intimidate voters.
Organizers submitted over 900,000 signatures in January to secure a measure that would enshrine abortion rights in Florida’s constitution. While the deadline to challenge these signatures has passed, a state agency established by Governor Ron DeSantis to investigate voter fraud has initiated a probe into possible fraud during the signature-gathering process.
Isaac Menasche, a Fort Myers resident, signed the petition months ago at a local farmer’s market. He recalled writing down his name, birthday, and address, and quickly scribbling his signature. Last week, a law enforcement officer appeared at his door with a copy of his signature, asking him to confirm its authenticity, which Menasche did.
Menasche described the experience as unsettling. “The experience left me shaken. What troubled me was that the officer had a folder on me with about 10 pages of my personal information. I saw a copy of my driver’s license and the petition I signed,” he shared in a Facebook post. “It was clear that significant resources were used to confirm whether I had indeed signed the petition. I wonder if the same effort would be made if the petition were for a less controversial issue.”
Governor Ron DeSantis has defended the investigation, stating at a press conference, “They’re doing what they’re supposed to do.” He explained that discrepancies in signatures could arise, and if voters confirm they signed, the investigation would likely conclude. “That is absolutely possible. And if that’s what you say, I think that’s probably the end of it,” DeSantis added.
The investigation, however, coincides with broader efforts by DeSantis and Florida Republicans to block the amendment, which requires 60% voter support to pass this fall. Last week, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration posted a webpage criticizing the amendment, a move DeSantis denied amounted to electioneering. In response, civil rights groups filed a lawsuit on Thursday, accusing the state of using the agency’s messaging to influence voters.
The Florida supreme court has also permitted a controversial financial impact statement, criticized for being misleading, to be printed alongside the amendment on the ballot.
In Florida, local election officials are responsible for verifying signatures submitted with petitions. According to Lori Edwards, the supervisor of elections in Polk County, groups sponsoring petitions must cover the costs of the verification process. This involves matching the voter’s signature, name, address, and date of birth with their registration details. Edwards noted that her office had not been asked for any information regarding the abortion amendment.
The Office of Election Crimes and Security, a multimillion-dollar agency established by DeSantis to investigate voter fraud, reported earlier this year that it had been “inundated with an alarming amount of fraud related to constitutional initiative petitions.”
However, Mary Jane Arrington, supervisor of elections in Osceola County, told the Associated Press that her office had never been asked to review already validated signatures in her 16 years in the role, raising further questions about the state’s approach to this investigation.
Florida Democrats and voting rights groups have sharply criticized DeSantis for the investigation, accusing him of using it as a blatant attempt to intimidate voters. They argue that the state’s focus on verifying signatures long after they’ve been validated is part of a broader effort to suppress participation in the ballot initiative, particularly on such a contentious issue as abortion rights.
Critics point out that this investigation, combined with other actions by DeSantis’ administration, such as the misleading financial impact statement and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s public opposition to the amendment, shows a coordinated attempt to influence the outcome of the vote. Many view these tactics as part of a wider strategy by the governor and state Republicans to undermine the ballot measure and discourage voter engagement.
“This is all about theater, this is all about intimidation of the voters as people are about to go to the ballot box,” said Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, during a press conference on Monday, denouncing the ongoing investigation.
Earlier this summer, the Florida Department of State informed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) that it had opened an investigation into over 40 individuals paid to circulate abortion-related petitions. The department claimed to have obtained “credible information” that several petition circulators in Palm Beach County had submitted fraudulent signatures. According to a letter from the department, the local supervisor of elections received complaints from voters who said they did not sign the petitions. The letter further alleged that some circulators forged signatures of deceased individuals and inserted personal information without consent.
The Department of State provided petition forms allegedly containing fraudulent signatures, with the voter details redacted, and also released three complaints from voters claiming they had not signed the petitions. Mark Ard, spokesperson for the Florida Department of State, said the agency has a duty to protect Florida citizens from fraud and will continue the investigation, referring cases to FDLE as needed.
Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind the amendment, hired PCI Consultants to manage most of the signature collection. Angelo Paparella, president of PCI Consultants, explained that his company reviewed all signatures before submitting them to election officials and flagged any suspicious ones. He acknowledged that a tiny fraction of the more than 1 million signatures collected appeared fraudulent but emphasized that this did not undermine the legitimacy of the vast majority of signatures.
“If they find someone who committed any kind of forgeries, then prosecute them,” Paparella said. “It takes nothing away from the nearly million valid signatures that the counties found.”
It remains unclear how many voters have been affected by the investigation, but reports indicate that at least six counties have been asked to provide information on signatures that had already been verified.
One of the counties involved is Alachua County, where state officials requested to review 6,141 petitions, all submitted by six circulators suspected of submitting fraudulent signatures. In Osceola County, the state sought to review around 1,850 petitions from specific circulators, according to Supervisor Mary Jane Arrington’s office. Similarly, in Hillsborough County, election officials were asked to review nearly 7,000 petitions.
Palm Beach County saw one of the largest requests, with state officials wanting to review 17,000 signatures, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. In Orange County, home to Orlando, officials requested the review of 11,500 petitions. This widespread scrutiny of signatures across multiple counties is part of the state’s larger investigation into potential fraud surrounding the abortion ballot initiative.
The investigation is the latest action by the Office of Election Crimes and Security, an agency that has faced criticism since its inception, as instances of voter fraud are extremely rare. In 2022, the agency came under fire for arresting individuals with felony convictions who had voted, many of whom appeared confused about their eligibility. The agency has also targeted voter registration groups, issuing fines for relatively minor errors, which has led many of these groups to stop their activities in Florida altogether.
Brad Ashwell, director of the Florida chapter of All Voting is Local, a voting rights organization, condemned the investigation, saying, “It’s been clear from day one that the purpose of the election police was to harass voters who don’t share the same viewpoints as the governor.”
Ashwell added, “By going after a petition for Amendment 4, which is already on the ballot, Governor DeSantis is undermining the will of voters and trampling over their democratic freedoms for his own political gain.”
Most of the extreme bills have failed to pass, but trans adults are closely monitoring statehouses with heightened anxiety.
This year, states have attempted to restrict transgender people from using public bathrooms and updating identity documents like driver’s licenses. Legislators in multiple states are working to redefine sex based on reproductive capacity and to exclude gender identity from discrimination protections.
So far, these bills aiming to weaken civil rights protections for trans people and bar them from public facilities haven’t made significant progress. According to the ACLU, only five anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been enacted into law this year. Additionally, several states notorious for advancing such legislation, like Florida, Utah, and West Virginia, have concluded their legislative sessions for the year.
Nonetheless, these efforts could have disastrous impacts on the lives of trans adults. Medical health professionals are concerned about the long-term physical and mental health effects of ongoing political attempts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, many of the active bills could create gaps in medical care for trans people during this period of heightened anxiety.
Currently, Ashton Colby is experiencing a state of chronic stress. As a 31-year-old white transgender man living near Columbus, Ohio, he has felt intense whiplash due to the unexpected changes in state policies on gender-affirming care over the past few months.
“With my fundamental, basic humanity being publicly debated and scrutinized, I feel gutted, dehumanized, and completely misunderstood for all that I am,” he said.
Colby has been stressed for years about anti-trans policies, but he never imagined that trans adults might be forced to go without medical care. In Ohio, that nearly happened. Republican Governor Mike DeWine proposed restricting gender-affirming care for adults instead of supporting a statewide ban on minors’ care. However, after public outcry, the state’s health agency announced it would not implement those restrictions for adults.
Colby initially feared he would lose his medical provider of eight years and considered moving to Denver. He also worries that if Republicans win the White House and Congress this year, his ability to access necessary documentation and his rights as a trans person will be at risk.
Dr. Carl Streed, president of the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH), constantly contemplates the negative health outcomes for trans people who do not feel safe in society. He believes anti-trans policies will exacerbate isolation during what the surgeon general has called an epidemic of isolation and loneliness in the United States.
“These policies that restrict people’s public life are effectively directly harming them, both in terms of immediate issues around mental health, connection to community, accessing care in urgent situations, but long-term, we’re going to see worse health outcomes in probably the next five, ten years, if not sooner,” he said.
What do those worse health outcomes look like? Increased isolation and inability to participate in public life and engage in-person with the community lead to poorer cardiovascular fitness and a higher likelihood of high cholesterol and hypertension. This, in turn, increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Isolation is also associated with worse cognitive function and decreased memory, according to Streed.
“They’re definitely creating a complex patchwork of restricted public spaces,” remarked Streed, a primary care physician at the Boston Medical Center. “But the concern is that these are national discussions. What unfolds in Florida becomes a topic I discuss with my patients in the examination room.”
Transgender individuals in states without healthcare or public space restrictions may still feel anxious about such policies in other states, he noted. These restrictions can impact them even when visiting friends and family.
As of this year, the ACLU is monitoring around 200 active anti-LGBTQ+ bills in various state legislatures. While some bills have been defeated, the transgender community, along with much of the broader LGBTQ+ community, continues to experience heightened fear and anxiety.
Simone Chriss, an attorney with the Southern Legal Counsel in Florida and director of the organization’s transgender rights initiative, highlighted during a press call in February that Florida has implemented a series of often perplexing anti-LGBTQ+ policies designed to instill fear.
“The intention is to instill fear and confusion, making us uncertain about our rights, leading us to err on the side of caution. The vagueness and ambiguity are deliberate,” she asserted. Chriss addressed a gathering of advocates, locals, and members of the press at an emergency “town hall” aimed at clarifying the legal implications and debunking myths surrounding Florida’s new driver’s license policy.
Angelique Godwin, an Afro-Latina transgender woman and advocate with Equality Florida, shared with The 19th how transgender individuals in Florida have been rallying around each other amid increasing limitations on their everyday lives. Last spring, Godwin faced a setback in her healthcare access when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law barring patients from receiving gender-affirming care from nurse practitioners. Subsequently, she encountered difficulty refilling her prescription for estradiol valerate, an essential component of her gender-affirming care. This confusion stemmed from pharmacies refusing service to patients in the aftermath of the law’s enactment, a challenge also faced by other transgender individuals in Florida.
“Fortunately, I had a stash, my own little reserve of medications. But for people close to me who were affected, they had no access,” she explained. “It came out of nowhere for them.”
Later, Godwin discovered a facility in Tampa with a doctor who operated on a sliding-scale payment system, enabling her to continue her care. She also obtained coverage through the federal government’s health insurance marketplace, which provided further assistance. Additionally, she managed to maintain appointments with her regular doctor for mental health visits despite the new law.
Additional gaps in care have been filled by mutual aid grants and organizations like Folx Health, an LGBTQ+ telehealth provider. Folx mandates an in-person doctor’s visit, during which patients review and sign a consent form to ensure care aligns with state regulations.
“During those initial three months from June to August, many people faced challenges. However, since then, most of the individuals I’m acquainted with who are in Florida have remained.”
About 30 bills aiming to limit transgender individuals’ access to healthcare are currently progressing through state legislatures, according to the ACLU. These bills seek to prohibit gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, for transgender youth. Additionally, they aim to block insurance or Medicaid coverage for such care and impose restrictions on access to these services for incarcerated transgender individuals.
Accessing gender-affirming care is already challenging for transgender individuals in many parts of the country, even without additional state-level restrictions. For numerous trans individuals, obtaining essential healthcare necessitates traveling across state borders.
Dr. Angela Rodriguez, a plastic surgeon specializing in transgender care in San Francisco, frequently treats patients who journey to California. This isn’t solely due to a lack of trans-affirming care elsewhere; she’s had transgender individuals travel from places like Alabama, where finding quality dental or primary care is challenging.
Over the past few years, she has heard a recurring concern from patients from out of state: Who will provide ongoing care for them in the future?
“I have patients who choose to return, flying all the way from the East Coast, because they don’t feel comfortable discussing their needs with a local physician,” she noted. She collaborates with patients traveling from other states to ensure they have a support network in California to assist them post-surgery, whether it’s a loved one or a friend.
Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, the president-elect of USPATH and a practitioner at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, highlighted the deteriorating mental health of her adolescent and young adult trans patients due to the recent bans on gender-affirming care for minors in certain states. Additionally, her patients express concerns about their safety and ability to exist publicly, especially regarding the use of public restrooms. With extreme bathroom bans in states like Florida and Utah, coupled with eight other states prohibiting trans individuals from using restrooms aligning with their gender identity in school settings, the fears among trans youth are compounded.
“I don’t think people fully grasp the mental health toll of the pandemic, let alone the added weight of these laws,” she remarked. Olson-Kennedy emphasized that many of her patients, who are mostly preparing for college or graduate school, are opting to avoid states implementing anti-trans legislation when considering their educational pursuits.
Olson-Kennedy herself finds social media to be an unsafe space. As a provider of gender-affirming care, she faces hostility and politicization from Republican lawmakers, lobbyists, and far-right media figures.
“You should be shot when you leave your clinic because you can only handle so much hearing.” That’s not something that medical school curriculums teach. Pediatricians and children’s hospitals have never dealt with anything like this before.
Olson-Kennedy stated that more individuals should be aware of what gender-affirming care entails. She explained that the care is given over an extended period of time, with parents and guardians participating for kids, and it addresses the extreme hopelessness that many trans persons experience as a result of gender dysphoria.
“I wish people could see above their personal discomfort and ignorance and truly acknowledge the medical necessity of this therapy. It saves and transforms people’s lives, and it’s incredibly significant,” she remarked.
As a Florida elementary school grapples with a growing measles outbreak, the state’s top health official is providing advice that contradicts scientific consensus, potentially putting unvaccinated children at risk of contracting one of the most contagious pathogens on Earth, according to clinicians and public health experts.
In a letter to parents at a Fort Lauderdale-area school following six confirmed measles cases, Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo failed to urge parents to vaccinate their children or to keep unvaccinated students home as a precaution.
Instead of following the “normal” recommendation that parents keep unvaccinated children home for up to 21 days — the incubation period for measles — Ladapo stated that the state health department “is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance.”
Ladapo’s controversial decision continues a pattern of defying public health norms, especially regarding vaccines. Last month, he called for halting the use of mRNA coronavirus vaccines, a move widely condemned by the public health community.
Ben Hoffman, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, criticized Florida’s guidance, stating that it contradicts longstanding and widely accepted public health recommendations for measles, a disease that can lead to severe complications, including death.
“It contradicts everything I’ve ever heard and read,” Hoffman stated. “It goes against our policy and what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would recommend.”
In 2024, measles outbreaks have surged, with the CDC recording at least 26 cases across 12 states, doubling the count from the previous year. Apart from the six cases identified in the Florida school, instances have been documented in Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
The surge in measles outbreaks is attributed to the increasing number of parents seeking exemptions from childhood vaccinations. This trend has emerged in the wake of political opposition to COVID-19 mandates and widespread dissemination of misinformation regarding vaccine safety.
In January, the CDC issued a caution to healthcare providers to remain vigilant for additional measles cases. Contagion can occur from four days before the onset of a rash until four days after.
Because measles virus particles can persist in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected individual departs, up to 90 percent of non-immune individuals may contract measles if exposed. Those who have been infected or have received both doses of the MMR vaccine are 98 percent protected and highly unlikely to contract the disease. This is why public health officials usually recommend vaccination during outbreaks.
“The measles outbreak in Florida schools is a result of too many parents failing to ensure their children are protected by the safe and effective measles vaccine,” explained John P. Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College. “And why is that? It’s because anti-vaccine sentiment in Florida is propagated from the top of the public health hierarchy: Joseph Ladapo.”
When requested for comment, the Florida health department provided a link to Ladapo’s letter.
Ladapo’s reluctance to utilize public health measures mirrors the efforts of conservative and libertarian factions to weaken public health’s capacity to control diseases such as the highly contagious measles. In an outbreak in Ohio that commenced in late 2022, most of the 85 afflicted children were eligible for vaccination, but their parents opted against it, according to officials. In 2021, the state legislature curtailed health officials’ authority to mandate quarantine for individuals suspected of having an infectious disease.
Ladapo’s communication with parents arrives amidst increased concern regarding the public health impacts of anti-vaccine sentiment, an ongoing issue that has resulted in declines in childhood immunization rates in various areas across the United States. Federal data released last year revealed that the percentage of kindergartners exempted from at least one state-required childhood vaccination reached its highest level yet during the 2022-2023 school year, standing at 3 percent.
According to Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Ladapo’s neglect to promote vaccination puts children at risk.
“In light of the data showing measles as the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease, surpassing even influenza or COVID, is Ladapo attempting to suggest otherwise?” Offit questioned in an email.
Measles is highly contagious, spreading swiftly, particularly affecting young children who receive their first dose of the vaccine between 12 to 15 months of age. The CDC advises two doses of the MMR vaccine, with the second typically administered between 4 to 6 years old.
When measles vaccination coverage falls below 95 percent, it undermines herd immunity, facilitating the virus’s rapid spread. While Florida’s overall vaccination coverage stands at 90.6 percent, it doesn’t pinpoint areas with potentially lower coverage rates.
If unvaccinated individuals fail to adhere to public health guidelines and stay home from school during the contagious period, the outbreak could escalate dramatically, posing a significant community risk. Patsy Stinchfield, President of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a nurse practitioner in Minneapolis, has firsthand experience managing measles outbreaks, including the 2017 outbreak in Minnesota, which impacted 75 individuals, predominantly unvaccinated children.
Approximately 1 in 5 unvaccinated individuals in the United States who contract measles require hospitalization, as reported by the CDC. Among children, up to 1 out of 20 develop pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death from measles in this age group. Additionally, around 1 child out of every 1,000 with measles experiences brain swelling, which can result in seizures and long-term consequences such as deafness or intellectual disability. Unvaccinated infants who contract measles face an even graver risk, with 1 in 600 developing a fatal neurological complication that may remain latent for years.
This week, officials at Manatee Bay Elementary School, located approximately 20 miles west of Fort Lauderdale, confirmed six cases of measles. According to Broward County Schools Superintendent Peter B. Licata, out of the school’s 1,067 students, 33 have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. During a school board meeting on Wednesday, Licata provided this information. Additionally, a district official mentioned that the district has organized “four vaccination opportunities,” comprising two sessions held at the school and two at other venues within the community.
Florida health officials reported the first case on Friday, involving a third-grade child with no travel history abroad.
School officials redirected inquiries to the Broward County school district, which stated it is adhering to guidance from the state health department.
A recent report from PEN America claims that there was a “unprecedented” spike in book bans in the second half of 2023.
According to the free expression organization, 4,349 book bans occurred in 52 public school districts and 23 states between July and December of last year. According to the research, over those six months, more books were prohibited than during the entire 2022–2023 school year.
The source of PEN America’s ban data is allegedly “publicly available data on district or school websites, news sources, public records requests, and school board minutes.”
Key lessons learned include:
With 3,135 prohibitions spread among 11 of the state’s school districts, Florida accounted for the great bulk of school book bans. An NPR representative for the Florida Department of Education declined to comment.
Book bans are frequently started by a small group of individuals. A Wisconsin school district temporarily banned 444 books after receiving challenges from a single parent.
According to the research, those who advocate for book bans frequently use to “obscenity laws and hyperbolic rhetoric about ‘porn in schools’ to justify banning books about sexual violence and LGBTQ+ topics (and in particular, trans identities).”
The research claims that there has been a comparable upsurge in opposition to the bans. Students, writers, and others are “fighting back in powerful and creative ways.”
Who is enforcing the ban?
According to a survey published in The Washington Post, “Just 11 people were responsible for filing 60 percent” of book challenges in 2021–2022.
Advocates for free speech from across the nation who joined PEN America today to address prohibitions spoke at a news conference about the ostensibly enormous influence of a small but vociferous minority.
Quinlen Schachle, a senior in high school and the president of the Alaska Association of Student Governments, expressed his dismay at attending school board meetings, saying, “It’s, like, [the same] one adult that comes up every day and challenges a new book. It’s not a concerned group of parents coming in droves to these meetings.”
According to Texas Freedom to Read Project Co-Director Laney Hawes, books are frequently prohibited due to “a handful of lists that are being circulated to different school districts” rather than “a parent whose child finds the book and they have a problem with it.”
PEN America describes a book ban as “any action taken against a book based on its content…that leads to a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.”
The American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, expressed disapproval of PEN America’s April 2022 report on banned literature. “Almost three-quarters of the books that PEN listed as banned were still available in school libraries in the same districts from which PEN claimed they had been banned,” the Education Freedom Institute (AEI) reported in a report.
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.
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