Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Convention Says “GOP Will Not Erase Our Children, Trans, Or LGBTQ”

Hundreds of Florida’s LGBTQ political leaders met this weekend at the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Winter meeting called “Turn It Up Turn It Out”. The 3 day meeting in St Petersburg was ironic as the legislative session is going on in Tallahassee. The session is turning out to be the greatest assault on LGBTQ rights in Florida history. The LGBTQ community is under full attack by Governor Ron DeSantis and conservative GOP leaders. The capital has various bills working through committee including assaults on children in schools with DON’T SAY GAY, the Woke bill to encouraging parents to sue schools and teachers if their children feel uncomfortable with classroom LGBTQ language, There is even legislation moving to ban books in Libraries. And more. A comprehensive selection of dynamic panels were held at the caucus on Trans rights, Librarians talking about how to face book bans, teachers discussing free speech in class rooms and many more. This year mid term elections are vitally important as the LGBTQ+ community faces a vital attack at all levels. I had exclusive interviews with Congresswoman Val Demings in her first LGBTQ+ interview in her campaign against Senator Marco Rubio. She arrived riding her Harley Davidson motorcycle. Demings passionately explained that she had three children of her own and said that DeSantis “should keep his hands the hell off our children.” I also had an emotional exclusive interview with former Governor and Congressman Charlie Christ. The candidate for Governor to unseat DeSantis discusses his reaction to Florida in national and international headlines over what Tallahassee is doing to the LGBTQ+ community. Christ simply replied “It’s embarrassing.” There was also a fire-brand speech from the only out lesbian in the Florida legislature, Michelle Rayner. She is running for the US Congress and had a blistering assessment of the politics we are seeing against the LGBTQ+ community. Her interview afterwards was akin to being in a Southern Baptist Church with the preacher who preached up a storm. But advocating for the LGBTQ community against hate. A highlight for me was a live interview for conference participants as we connected by satellite with Senator Shevrin Jones, the first LGBTQ Florida Senator, and Carlos Guillermo Smith, the first Latino LGBTQ Florida legislator as they discussed from Tallahassee what they were facing in the capitol. You will see these interviews and much more this week exclusively on Queer News Tonight.