GOP Legislators Challenge LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces Program in Florida Town

Some central Florida lawmakers are considering all available options to stop business owners in Mount Dora from displaying rainbow decals in their windows, indicating they are a safe place for LGBTQ+ individuals who feel threatened. Four Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to Mount Dora officials, warning that this program could result in economic harm for the community. They referenced boycotts against Bud Light and Target, which followed their efforts to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion. Mount Dora’s city council approved the Safe Place Initiative in order to provide safety information and designated safe places for victims of hate crimes. The decision coincides with an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ incidents in the area. Democratic state lawmaker Anna Eskamani criticized the Republican lawmakers’ letter, urging them to allow LGBTQ+ individuals to exist without politicizing their existence.

The Human Rights Campaign, along with other civil rights organizations, issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning about the potential risks minorities, immigrants, and gay travelers may face due to newly passed laws and policies.