Why are some LGBTQ Pride events being canceled in Florida?
June is celebrated as Pride Month in the US and many parts of the world, but some events in Florida have been canceled due to anti-LGBTQI laws in the state.
It’s nearly June, that time of year when the LGBTQI+ community holds events to celebrate Pride Month. However, some organizers in Florida have canceled celebrations due to what they call the “climate of fear” created by laws that were recently passed in the state.
In the city of St. Cloud, organizers announced that they were canceling their June 10 Pride event because of factors that led them to believe it would be “unsafe to hold the event at this time.”
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Why are some LGBTQ Pride events being canceled in Florida?
“Florida has recently passed a number of laws that target the LGBTQIA+ community. These laws have created a climate of fear and hostility for LGBTQIA+ people in Florida. We believe that holding an LGBTQIA+ event in this environment would put our community at risk,” they posted on their Facebook page.
Meanwhile, city officials at Port St. Lucie canceled the Pride parade and restricted access to PrideFest, a day-long event featuring vendors, food, and entertainment, to people 21 years and older.
The Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast, which organizes Pridefest, said that changes to Pride celebrations were made after conversations with Port St. Lucie officials, and that they were disheartened by the developments.
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Florida’s anti-LGBTQI policies
Florida lawmakers had passed the “Protection of Children” bill in April, which blocks children from watching adult live performances, including drag shows.
The Florida State Board had also approved the expansion of what critics refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades.
Other anti-LGBTQI+ measures include making it a felony to provide gender-transition treatments to minors, and banning people from entering bathrooms not intended for their sex assigned at birth.