After years of devastating policy losses for queer Floridians, there are signs the political tide in the Sunshine State may be turning. At a press conference Wednesday, Equality Florida leaders and lawmakers struck a hopeful tone after two controversial bills stalled in the Florida Senate. The proposed measures would have restricted preferred pronoun use for LGBTQ employees and rolled back diversity considerations in state contracts. But after an overwhelming number of public comments against them, the bills were tabled. Though Republican Senate leaders say the bills could be revived later, advocates see their temporary defeat as a victory—and a sign of shifting priorities in Tallahassee.
For years, Republican lawmakers, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, pushed anti-LGBTQ policies, restricting transgender rights, diversity programs, and gender markers on IDs. But with DeSantis’s failed presidential campaign and growing fatigue over culture wars, some activists believe momentum is shifting. Some queer activists are also sensing a change in attitudes at Florida’s Capitol. Angelique Godwin, director of transgender equality for Equality Florida, noted that for the first time in years, she felt a sense of normalcy in the building. For now, queer Floridians will remain vigilant. But after years of setbacks, the moment offers a rare glimpse of hope in a state that has often felt hostile to LGBTQ rights.
