A travel advisory issued by Equality Florida is straightforward. The subject is written in all capital letters: “FLORIDA MAY NOT BE A SAFE PLACE TO MOVE TO OR VISIT.”
In issuing this warning, the LGBTQ+ civil rights organization joins the NAACP and the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
In addition to what some refer to as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, the advisory cites additional Florida House bills that “restrict access to reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws, foment racial prejudice, and attack public education by banning books and censoring curriculum.”
Brandon Wolf, the press secretary for Equality Florida, stated that the advisory was issued in response to the numerous inquiries received from around the world regarding the safety of the state.
Wolf cited 18 anti-LGBTQ+ measures that have passed at least one Florida committee during the current legislative session.
“These are extremely serious ramifications of current policies,” Wolf stated. “It was important for us to lay out the landscape now, prior to the signing and implementation of these laws, so that people can make informed decisions about whether or not it is safe to travel to Florida at this time.”
According to him, one of the proposed laws would prohibit private insurance companies from funding the medication of transgender adults, while another would dissolve existing child custody agreements for transgender youth, potentially transferring the children to a parent who is not supportive.
This week, the Florida Immigration Coalition urged travelers to use “extreme caution” in the state.
According to the group’s release, every county in Florida poses a “high risk” of harassment or potential detention for people of color, individuals with an accent, and international travelers.
The NAACP Florida State Conference voted unanimously last month to request that the organization’s board issue a travel advisory for the state.
All three organizations are concerned about proposed state legislation that, according to them, targets their communities.
Joshua Scacco, an associate professor of Political Communication at the University of South Florida, stated that the warnings could be “sending a signal” to individuals to begin speaking out.
“These types of communications will not necessarily have an immediate effect,” he said. Therefore, it will be very essential to observe the activism and responses that emerge in response to this event.
Scacco adds that before adopting a stance, the majority of businesses will await the actual passage of legislation into law.
Additionally, he asserts that while some businesses may be concerned about confronting ramifications from the state, as Disney has, the majority will likely be motivated by profits.
“We are also aware that there have been messages directed at members of the LGBTQ community and their allies on the floor of the Florida Legislature,” the statement continues. Scacco said.
“I believe that Equality Florida’s response is a combination of the legislative climate and also, and you can’t separate this from it, the communicative and messaging climate as well in Florida right now, which is specifically targeting members of the (LGBTQ) community,” the author explains.
Whether someone chooses to depart or remain in the state, he said, they are encouraging them to fight for Florida’s future.
Equality Wolf stated that anyone who has experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity while visiting or residing in Florida should report it on their website.
“Because, in the end, Florida will exist long after Ron DeSantis is consigned to the dustbin of political history,” Wolf said. “And we must then create the future that follows. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all of us to immediately engage in the conflict.
