Crist, LGBTQ organizations condemn DeSantis in South Florida as culture war rages
A host of Florida LGBTQ organizations came together in gay-friendly Wilton Manors Wednesday to endorse and promote gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in his race against Ron DeSantis, calling Florida’s governor a “danger” to queer communities.
“If you are a LGBTQ Floridian, you do not need us to remind you why the stakes in this [election] are so high,” Joe Saunders, Equality Florida Action PAC’s senior political director, said. “You’ve lived in the near daily attacks from the DeSantis administration on our LGBTQ families and LGBTQ lives.”
Four organizations announced or reaffirmed their support of Crist: Equality Florida Action PAC, Safeguarding American Values for Everyone, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and the Human Rights Campaign.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support, your endorsement and your love,” Crist said during the presser. “Ron DeSantis is a nightmare. We all know that, you all know that, Florida knows that.”
Throughout the half-hour presser, a representative from each organization described their emphatic disapproval of DeSantis and current Florida policies on the LGBTQ community. Speakers said they fear DeSantis has created a dangerous environment for queer people by politicizing healthcare for trans people and signing the state’s Parental Rights bill, which critics have called “don’t say gay.”
“Ron DeSantis is a danger to our community and to our state,” Stephen Gaskill, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus said. “Whether it’s his attacks on transgender youth and adults, his unnecessary and discriminatory ‘don’t say gay’ law, his support for book bans, or his appointment of unqualified medical hacks ... Ron DeSantis has proven his focus is on protecting his credibility with MAGA Republicans instead of protecting Floridians health and well-being.”
Crist also announced that on his first day in office he would sign an executive order to protect LGBTQ Floridians from discrimination and also “fight tooth and nail to repeal the heinous ‘don’t say gay’ law.”
He also touched on the “damage” he says has been done to the LGBTQ community in South Florida as Miami-Dade County Public Schools rejected recognizing October as LGBTQ History month.
READ MORE: After debate citing indoctrination and Nazis, Miami-Dade School Board rejects LGBTQ month
“Florida’s LGBTQ+ community deserves a governor who honors, respects and welcomes you all, not one that treats you like a political punching bag,” Crist said.
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 2:35 PM.
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