https://www.eqfl.org/florida-travel-advisory
TRAVEL ADVISORY: FLORIDA MAY NOT BE A SAFE PLACE TO MOVE OR VISIT
Equality Florida Issues Advisory Warning for Travel
ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Today, Equality Florida took the extraordinary step of issuing a travel advisory, warning of 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, restrict access to reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws, foment racial prejudice, and attack public education by banning books and censoring curriculum.
Assaults on Medical Freedom
•Florida’s Boards of Medicine and Osteopathy have adopted policies banning access to lifesaving medical care for transgender youth and the Agency for Health Care Administration has eliminated Medicaid coverage for transgender adults accessing that care
Assaults on Academic Freedom
•The Florida legislature has sought to strip Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from colleges and universities, that help LGBTQ and minority students thrive.
Censorship and Erasure of the LGBTQ Community
•The Florida legislature has sought to strip Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from colleges and universities, that help LGBTQ and minority students thrive.
•The Governor has initiated a hostile, right-wing takeover of higher education, and installed partisan allies to implement a conservative overhaul of public universities.
Assaults on Arts, Entertainment, and Sports Participation
•Florida has passed a ban on transgender women and girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity
•Lawmakers are poised to pass restrictions on certain live drag performances, stage shows, and local pride celebrations, limiting parents’ ability to determine what content may be suitable for their families
Assaults on Business
•DeSantis has recently signed a bill that restricts businesses from providing diversity and inclusion training to their employees, a blatant attempt to dictate to businesses what they can and cannot do, and to prevent them from training their employees to be better prepared for a diverse workforce and customer base.
Efforts to Foment Racial Prejudice
•Florida has passed a bill that would limit the honest teaching of history and systemic racism in schools
•The state passed another that restricts voting access for people of color and is currently considering additional voting restrictions.
Repealing of Gun Safety Laws
The passage of deadly permit less carry makes Floridians less safe and signals the reversal of the progress made after Pulse and Parkland. Coupled with the state’s infamous Stand Your Ground law, Permit less Carry threatens to exacerbate Florida’s violent crime rate at a time when the state’s homicide rate ranks 20th in the nation, exceeding both California and New York.
Attacks on Immigrant Communities
Florida has passed and is poised to pass legislation targeting immigrant communities, with consequences that could include arrest for operating a vehicle, no matter the state you are from, reduced access to health care services, and compromised safety. A bill currently being considered by the Florida legislature could impose criminal penalties on any who shelter, support, or provide transportation to undocumented immigrants. And these moves come just months after Governor DeSantis trafficked migrants from Texas to Massachusetts in a cruel scheme to use their suffering as campaign marketing material.
Conclusion
Taken in their totality, 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. We regret that these attacks have already led many to flee the state and are driving others to consider relocation. And, in a state whose economy is fueled by visitors from around the world, it is with great sadness that Equality Florida has had to take the extraordinary step of responding to inquiries by issuing an official advisory warning about the risks of travel to the state.
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