Florida is “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals,” according to a travel advisory issued by the NAACP. Two other groups issued similar warnings about travel to Florida, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and a gay rights advocacy group, Equality Florida.
New laws passed by Florida’s Republican majority Legislature and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis have specifically targeted people of color and LGBTQ persons.
The Florida economy relies heavily on tourism, with over 137.5 million visitors coming to the state annually from around the world, many of them coming to see Walt Disney World, which is also under attack by the Governor for daring to speak out against his anti-Gay policies.
Because of DeSantis’ blocking the teaching of AP Black History Courses and cancelling funding for all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in public colleges, plus his vague Critical Race Theory (CRT) ban, the NAACP believes “tourists should understand the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color."
DeSantis’ new immigration policies which may result in all Hispanic-looking people having to prove their citizenship in hospital and to the police, and his ‘migrant relocation program’, LULAC has called DeSantis’ policies, anti-immigrant and an “anti-Christian family rampage that marginalizes the immigrant community.”
Equality Florida’s advisory was issued in response to the “passage of laws that are hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, restrict access to reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws and allow untrained, unpermitted carry, and foment racial prejudice.”
They also believe that DeSantis has weaponized state agencies to impose sanctions against businesses large and small that disagree with his attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, referring to his war with Disney.
They conclude, “Florida’s slate of laws and policies targeting basic freedoms and rights pose a serious risk to the health and safety of those traveling to the state.”
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