Equality Florida Issues an Advisory Warning for Travel
Equality Florida has issued an advisory warning for visitors traveling to “The Sunshine State.” In a written statement earlier this week, the advisory warning details the risks posed to the health, safety, and freedom of those considering short- or long-term travel, or relocation to the state. 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 such as restricting access to reproductive health care, repealing gun safety laws, fomenting racial prejudice, and attacking public education by banning books and censoring curriculum.
The organization’s mission is to improve Florida’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live, work, and visit. In a written statement, Nadine Smith, the Executive Director of Equality Florida, said they had to respond to people asking if it’s safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as laws strip away basic rights and freedoms.
“While losing conferences, and top students who have written off Florida threatens lasting damage to our state, it is most heartbreaking to hear from parents who are selling their homes and moving because school censorship, book bans, and health care restrictions have made their home state less safe for their children,” said Smith. “We understand everyone must weigh the risks and decide what is best for their safety, but whether you stay away, leave, or remain we ask that you join us in countering these relentless attacks. Help reimagine and build a Florida that is truly safe for and open to all, and where freedom is a reality, not a hollow campaign slogan.”
The written statement goes on to say that Governor Ron DeSantis has made these extremist policies the centerpiece of his presidential campaign strategy, weaponizing state agencies to silence critics and impose sanctions on large and small companies that dissent with his “culture war agenda or disagree with his attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Already, the adopted and proposed policies detailed in the travel advisory have led Florida parents to consider relocating, prospective students to cross Florida colleges and universities off their lists, events and conferences to cancel future gatherings, and the United States military to offer redeployment for service members whose families are now unsafe in the state.
Businesses have spoken out against the governor’s abuse of state power to punish dissent, with Disney CEO Bob Iger calling DeSantis “anti-business and anti-Florida.” The harsh rhetoric has also targeted transgender youth which has led to the proposal of policies around the country to provide refuge for those fleeing states like Florida, according to Equality Florida.
The Florida Immigrant Coalition, a statewide immigrant rights coalition of 65 member organizations and over 100 allies, also issued a travel advisory, urging reconsideration of travel to Florida and providing critical information about where immigrant travelers can learn more about their constitutional rights. And just weeks ago, Florida chapters of the NAACP voted unanimously to request similar warnings to the Black community about the risk of traveling or relocating to the state. It definitely
Click HERE to view Equality Florida’s full memo statement with specifics, including the state legislature’s move to “censor and erase the LGBTQ+ community.”
