June: the International Pride month
for the GLBT community. Pride parties,
galas, theme park events and parades
abound. And Florida’s no exception.
People are inclined to believe Ft.
Lauderdale and South Florida is THE
place to call home for GLBT residents.
While South Florida is home to the
largest GLBT community in Florida,
central Florida (Tampa/St Petersburg
and Orlando) has the highest concentration
of GLBT residents in the state!
Actually, the largest Gay Pride parade in
Florida is in St. Petersburg. Surprised?
Florida is second only to California,
with almost 2 million GLBT residents!
That being said, it nevertheless seems
the voice, the Pride of Florida’s huge
GLBT community, outside of its plethora
of glitzy clubs, bars and gay resorts,
seems muffled at best. Illinois just
passed a civil union bill! I wonder what
has the GLBT community in Illinois did
that its brothers and sisters in Florida
are unable to do – or won’t do – to find
the unity, support and momentum to
achieve the same equality for GLBT
Floridians?
The State of Florida’s population is a
mosaic of people from every state and,
practically, every nation. She seems to be
“unity challenged”. Florida is a paradox:
Home to powerful ultra-right wing
conservatives, religious zealots and
“bleeding heart liberals”, whatever that
really means. Florida also has some of
the wealthiest and poorest citizens in the
nation. She is home to well-respected
universities, but her funding of education
per capita ranks in the very bottom.
Further supporting the paradoxical
social climate here is the fact Florida,
though home to the second largest GLBT
community in the entire nation, has an
abysmally poor record of equal rights
for us. Why does true equal rights status
for the GLBT community in Florida
continue to be so elusive? Blind
partisanship is totally counterproductive,
myopic and, at the very least, immature.
In general, politicians’ platforms
are duplicitous with more holes than a
colander. Too many of them use the
Bible and the flag as “beards,” manipulating
the public with fear, shouting from
every stage and pulpit, “No Big
Government!”
Yet, they never cease their demagogic
rhetoric preventing tax paying, voting
GLBT citizens from marrying the person
they choose with laws denying us the
same rights heterosexual people take for
granted, or believe they are entitled to
because they are “normal.” There is no
federal law protecting GLBT citizens
from discrimination in the workplace. In
many locales throughout the United
States, it would be perfectly legal to not
hire or even fire someone just for being
Gay! Yes, that action might cause a
firestorm, but none the less it is legal!
The United States, OUR country, self-proclaimed
leader of the “Free World” and
beacon of democracy receives a poor
grade in its treatment of GLBT citizens.
Isn’t it totally bizarre that in Iowa, Gay
Americans can be legally married, but
Gay Americans in Florida are denied the
same by their government?
Where is the outrage, Floridians?
Where is our pride?
This June, take real action and show
pride not by being in parades, parties,
etc., but by getting involved. Join
organizations that strive to win equal
rights for all Americans. Write your
representative at the local, state and
federal level. Search the net for names,
addresses, etc. Demand officials to fight
for your rights. Say where your vote will
be cast. Politicians know each letter
represents 600 like-minded constituents.
In our democratic society, we have the
responsibility to be ever vigilant. In life,
more often than not, we get what we
think we deserve. If we don’t take the
initiative to demand full equal rights, we
will never have them.
Show Americans outside the GLBT
community how more similar you are to
them instead of broadcasting your
differences. Pass up the parades, parties
etc., and do some volunteer work at an
animal shelter or assisted living home.
Adopt a highway! Clean a beach! Paint
the home of an aged, disabled or financially
troubled neighbor. There’s never a
shortage of volunteer opportunities.
Give of yourself to the present – and
future – generations! Pride is more evident
in what we do than what we say.June: the International Pride month for the GLBT community. Pride parties, galas, theme park events and parades abound. And Florida’s no exception. People are inclined to believe Ft. Lauderdale and South Florida is THE place to call home for GLBT residents. While South Florida is home to the largest GLBT community in Florida, central Florida (Tampa/St Petersburg and Orlando) has the highest concentration of GLBT residents in the state! Actually, the largest Gay Pride parade in Florida is in St. Petersburg. Surprised? Florida is second only to California, with almost 2 million GLBT residents! That being said, it nevertheless seems the voice, the Pride of Florida’s huge GLBT community, outside of its plethora of glitzy clubs, bars and gay resorts, seems muffled at best. Illinois just passed a civil union bill! I wonder what has the GLBT community in Illinois did that its brothers and sisters in Florida are unable to do – or won’t do – to find the unity, support and momentum to achieve the same equality for GLBT Floridians? The State of Florida’s population is a mosaic of people from every state and, practically, every nation. She seems to be “unity challenged”. Florida is a paradox: Home to powerful ultra-right wing conservatives, religious zealots and “bleeding heart liberals”, whatever that really means. Florida also has some of the wealthiest and poorest citizens in the nation. She is home to well-respected universities, but her funding of education per capita ranks in the very bottom. Further supporting the paradoxical social climate here is the fact Florida, though home to the second largest GLBT community in the entire nation, has an abysmally poor record of equal rights for us. Why does true equal rights status for the GLBT community in Florida continue to be so elusive? Blind partisanship is totally counterproductive, myopic and, at the very least, immature. In general, politicians’ platforms are duplicitous with more holes than a colander. Too many of them use the Bible and the flag as “beards,” manipulating the public with fear, shouting from every stage and pulpit, “No Big Government!” Yet, they never cease their demagogic rhetoric preventing tax paying, voting GLBT citizens from marrying the person they choose with laws denying us the same rights heterosexual people take for granted, or believe they are entitled to because they are “normal.” There is no federal law protecting GLBT citizens from discrimination in the workplace. In many locales throughout the United States, it would be perfectly legal to not hire or even fire someone just for being Gay! Yes, that action might cause a firestorm, but none the less it is legal! The United States, OUR country, self-proclaimed leader of the “Free World” and beacon of democracy receives a poor grade in its treatment of GLBT citizens. Isn’t it totally bizarre that in Iowa, Gay Americans can be legally married, but Gay Americans in Florida are denied the same by their government? Where is the outrage, Floridians? Where is our pride? This June, take real action and show pride not by being in parades, parties, etc., but by getting involved. Join organizations that strive to win equal rights for all Americans. Write your representative at the local, state and federal level. Search the net for names, addresses, etc. Demand officials to fight for your rights. Say where your vote will be cast. Politicians know each letter represents 600 like-minded constituents. In our democratic society, we have the responsibility to be ever vigilant. In life, more often than not, we get what we think we deserve. If we don’t take the initiative to demand full equal rights, we will never have them. Show Americans outside the GLBT community how more similar you are to them instead of broadcasting your differences. Pass up the parades, parties etc., and do some volunteer work at an animal shelter or assisted living home. Adopt a highway! Clean a beach! Paint the home of an aged, disabled or financially troubled neighbor. There’s never a shortage of volunteer opportunities. Give of yourself to the present – and future – generations! Pride is more evident in what we do than what we say.