An LGBT political advocacy group has just released a dire travel advisory for people “considering short or long term travel, or relocation to” a terrifying place with “hostile” and censorious laws. No, it isn’t Iran or Saudi Arabia. It’s the sunny state of Florida.
Earlier this month, Equality Florida issued a travel warning for visitors to and citizens of the Sunshine State, saying that its announcement was in response to a slew of laws signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“The move comes in response to a wave of safety inquiries Equality Florida has received following the passage of laws that are hostile to the LGBTQ community, restrict access to reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws, foment racial prejudice, and attack public education by banning books and censoring curriculum,” a press release says.
Let’s unpack this.
It’s ridiculous for progressive organizations to complain about policies that, for the most part, only exist in response to wokeness run amok. In other words, these policies are their fault.
The “hostile” laws include Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, dishonestly nicknamed “Don’t Say Gay.” The law actually does not mention the word “gay,” and it simply prevents students younger than third graders from being taught about sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms.
This wouldn’t have needed to be passed last year if activists hadn’t been trying to push sexual content on increasingly younger schoolchildren.
The supposed book bans and curriculum censorship refer to Republicans targeting highly sexualized and even pornographic materials that have been promoted for young children (books such as Gender Queer: A Memoir, Flamer, and This Book Is Gay come to mind).
The censorship claim may also refer to DeSantis’ (successful) war with the College Board over AP African American Studies, a course that included “queer studies” and support for reparations.
So when you see activist groups complain about the “rise in anti-LGBT laws” or the “rise in book bans,” this is why. It didn’t come from nowhere; it’s a response to a culture war being pushed by the Left.
The Florida Immigrant Coalition also issued a recent travel advisory, warning, “Florida’s Boards of Medicine and Osteopathy have adopted policies banning access to lifesaving medical care for transgender youth and the Agency For Health Care Administration has eliminated Medicaid coverage for transgender adults accessing that care.”
This is partially true: Last month, Florida banned doctors from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgery to minors, saving countless young people from having irreversible harm done to their bodies. The state has also prevented Medicaid funds from subsidizing transgender surgeries, meaning that taxpayers will not have to foot the bill for other people’s unnecessary medical procedures.
But no, this is not “care,” and there’s no evidence that it’s “lifesaving.”
It’s absurd that progressive groups would go so far as to issue a travel warning for Florida due to its conservative policies, especially as Americans are fleeing blue states and flocking to the Sunshine State in droves. That should be proof enough that these supposedly “hostile” laws are not only popular but good for the citizenry.
In short, woke progressives started a cultural war in Florida, and conservatives responded with legislation. Now those very progressives are complaining that they’re being targeted, while Florida voters just want to maintain common sense.