COLAGE’s Executive Director Jordan Budd releases the following statement about Florida’s “Slate of Hate” bills and continued attacks on the LGBTQ+ community nationwide:
On Wednesday, May 17, Florida made another expansion to the “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” bill. Governor Ron DeSantis signed several anti-LGBTQ bills known as the “Slate of Hate.” The intention of these laws are clear. Governor DeSantis is trying to eradicate queer people from public life in the state of Florida. These bills range from expanding “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” to all schools in Florida to literally allowing for healthcare professionals to deny treatment to LGBTQ+ people on “moral” grounds. Florida is not the only state where our families have been targeted by bigoted laws attempting to erase us — sixteen states (AL, AR, ID, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MO, MT, NH, OH, OK, TN, TX, and VA) have all passed legislation aiming to harm LGBTQ+ people, people with LGBTQ+ parents, and our families.
COLAGE unequivocally rejects the “Slate of Hate” in Florida and remains in solidarity with everyone impacted by the onslaught of discriminatory laws being passed across the country. “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” laws have already caused significant harms to queerspawn, our families, and LGBTQ+ people. The law in its original form resulted in a travel advisory being instated for LGBTQ+ families and people, a mass exodus of LGBTQ+ families and people from Florida, and an increase in LGBTQ+ youth suicidal ideation. These are the intended impact of these laws, and we must push back. Our families deserve to be safe and secure. We demand equality. We demand justice. We demand freedom. We will win.
Read more about the expansion of the “Slate of Hate” law here. Learn more about COLAGE and our work, and help support us as we continue to provide community and empowerment for people with LGBTQ+ parents/caregivers.
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