LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days ftival

Contents:

• ‘WE SAY GAY’: FLORIDA’S LARGT PRI PARA DRAWS HUNDREDS OF THOANDS
• LGBTQ+ PEOPLE FLOCK TO FLORIDA FOR GAY DAYS FTIVAL
• LGBTQ PEOPLE FLOCK TO FLORIDA FOR DISNEY'S GAY DAYS CELEBRATN
• FLORIDA GAY PRI PARA NCELED AFTER ANTI-DRAG SHOW LAW PASS
• FLORIDA TOWN NCELS ANNUAL GAY PRI PARA AS DESANTIS SET TO SIGN ANTI-DRAG BAN

‘WE SAY GAY’: FLORIDA’S LARGT PRI PARA DRAWS HUNDREDS OF THOANDS

“Florida is excement, ’s sunshe, happs, relaxatn … and all really hot-lookg people, ” said Carrie Wt, Print of the GaYBOR District Coaln Tampa’s Ybor Cy.

LGBTQ+ PEOPLE FLOCK TO FLORIDA FOR GAY DAYS FTIVAL

Year-round, gay tourists om all over the world e to Florida to enjoy everythg om paras to film ftivals to roo events terg to the LGBTQ muny. While the foc of this ftival is the dozens of documentari and short films chroniclg the liv of gay, lbian, bisexual and transsexual people, some e jt for the fancy soire. What began 1991 as an unofficial weekend where LGBTQ visors show up at Disney World and wear red has blossomed to one of the world’s most popular and well-known weekends for gay and lbian tourist.

“We were voted the number one global statn 2013, which we’re exced about, ” said Chris Alexanr-Manley, Print of Gay Days, Inc. The Tampa Bay Bs Guild, the Bay Area Human Rights Coaln, and the Tampa Bay Gay Men’s Chos e together to host this film ftival, screened at the historic Tampa Theatre.

LGBTQ PEOPLE FLOCK TO FLORIDA FOR DISNEY'S GAY DAYS CELEBRATN

Petersburg’s first LGBTQ Pri march sce the onslght of the Covid-19 panmic, and jt three months after Florida’s ernor signed what crics ll the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Along wh rabow hats, eye makp, clothg and flags, there were prott signs the sea of Pri revelers, cludg those that said “We say gay” and "Bans off our bodi.

The measure, which crics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, prohibs classroom stctn on genr inty and sexual orientatn Florida classrooms for stunts “ krgarten through gra 3 or a manner that is not age appropriate or velopmentally appropriate for stunts acrdance wh state standards. McKeon hosted a booth where he sold water bottl, T-shirts and stickers wh “Jt Say Gay” emblazoned across the ont of each em. In the week until the “Don’t Say Gay” law tak effect — and a moment time that for many queer people has brought a sense of unease about their future — the ever-faiar “pri as prott” rea lored how many celebrated the largt event of s kd Florida, a state that has propelled self to the center of the latt culture war.

FLORIDA GAY PRI PARA NCELED AFTER ANTI-DRAG SHOW LAW PASS

Dpe the 90-gree heat and humidy that ntued to the early eveng hours and a smatterg of anti-gay protters holdg signs that said “J Lov You” and “How Can I Pray for You, ” patrons stayed for hours after the para, visg vendors and lol bs, and dancg North Strb Park. -- Tens of thoands of LGBTQ+ people are flockg to central Florida this weekend to go on theme park ris, mgle wh stumed performers, dance at all-night parti and lounge poolsi at hotels durg Gay Days, a s-long though Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have champned a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws — spurrg the most proment gay rights group the U.

And other civil rights anizatns to issue warngs the Sunshe State may no longer be safe — Gay Days anizers are still enuragg visors om around the world to e to one of Florida's largt gay and lbian say a large turnout will send a msage that LGBTQ+ people are not gog away Florida, which is ntually one of the most popular stat for tourists to vis. If the hoped-for 150, 000 or more visors e to the half-week of pool parti, drag bgo and thrill ris at Orlando's theme parks and hotels, then “that's the pot, ” said Joseph Clark, CEO of Gay Days Inc.

FLORIDA TOWN NCELS ANNUAL GAY PRI PARA AS DESANTIS SET TO SIGN ANTI-DRAG BAN

Gay Days is a bon 's not lost on the anizers that the highlight of the weekend will be a Saturday meetup of LGBTQ+ visors at the Magic Kgdom at Walt Disney World, where the first Gay Days started as a sgle-day celebratn 1991.