Governor Ron DeSantis has declared the next four months as “Freedom Summer” in Florida. As part of this initiative, iconic Florida bridges will be illuminated in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In previous years, structures like the Sunshine Skyway and Ringling Causeway celebrated Pride Month with rainbow lighting for a week, but this June, they will not. DeSantis announced the “Freedom Summer” initiative in late April, offering free access to Florida state parks on Memorial Day and a tax-free discount on recreational equipment throughout the summer. DeSantis stated, “Florida is stepping up to make summer more affordable for families.” Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue shared the bridge lighting plans on social media, praising DeSantis’ leadership. However, the decision has faced backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates. Carlos Guillermo Smith, Equality Florida’s senior policy adviser, criticized the move, saying that the bridge lights represent a celebration of diversity and inclusion. He added, “LGBTQ+ Floridians will proudly raise our flags even higher, and our lights will only shine brighter in the darkness they’ve created.”
