LGBT RIGHTS in FLORIDA
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trangender (LGBT) people in the U.S. State of Florida have federal protections,
but many face legal difficulties on the state level that are not experienced by
non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity became legal in the state after
the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in
Lawrence v.
Texas on June 26, 2003, although the state legislature has
not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state
since January 6, 2015. Discrimination on account of sexual orientation and
gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations is outlawed
following the U.S. Supreme Court's
ruling in
Bostock v. Clayton County. In addition, several cities and
counties, comprising about 55 percent of Florida's population, have enacted
anti-discrimination ordinances. These include Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and West Palm Beach, among others. Conversion therapy is also banned in a number of cities
in the state, mainly in the Miami metropolitan area, but has been struck down by the 11th
Circuit Court of Appeals. In September 2023, Lake Worth Beach, Florida became an official "LGBT
sanctuary city" to protect and defend LGBT rights
Since 2021, under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis,
the state has seen a significant erosion in LGBT, especially transgender,
rights. In June 2021, a bill was passed preventing transgender
women and girls from participating in female sports in schools.
In April 2023, Florida LGBT advocacy
group Equality Florida issued a travel advisory for LGBTQ
people to avoid visiting or moving to the state. The following May, the Human Rights Campaign signed on to the travel advisory,
citing legislation recently signed by Governor DeSantis, while stopping short
of calling for a boycott of the state
In May 2023, several bills were signed by DeSantis, which
prohibited access to hormone replacement therapy for transgender
minors and created barriers to accessing hormone replacement
therapy for adults, including banning insurance coverage for such treatments
and requiring a physician to administer the treatment rather than a nurse practitioner. Furthermore, the bills allow for
transgender individuals using a restroom consistent with their gender identity
in a public building to be charged with criminal trespass, expand
the Parental Rights in Education Act,
enable medical practitioners to deny service based on personal belief, and
restrict "adult live performances" anywhere a child might be present
(notably targeting drag performances, as claimed by DeSantis).
DERECHOS LGBT EN FLORIDA
Las personas lesbianas, gais, bisexuales y transgénero (LGBT) en el estado estadounidense de Florida cuentan con protección federal, pero muchas enfrentan dificultades legales a nivel estatal que no experimentan los residentes no LGBT. La actividad sexual entre personas del mismo sexo se legalizó en el estado tras la decisión de la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos en el caso Lawrence contra Texas el 26 de junio de 2003, aunque la legislatura estatal no ha derogado la ley de sodomía. El matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo es legal en el estado desde el 6 de enero de 2015. La discriminación por orientación sexual e identidad de género en el empleo, la vivienda y los lugares públicos está prohibida tras la decisión de la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos en el caso Bostock contra el condado de Clayton. Además, varias ciudades y condados, que representan aproximadamente el 55 % de la población de Florida, han promulgado ordenanzas contra la discriminación. Entre ellos se incluyen Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee y West Palm Beach, entre otros.
La terapia de conversión también está prohibida en varias ciudades del estado, principalmente en el área metropolitana de Miami, pero ha sido revocada por el Tribunal de Apelaciones del Undécimo Circuito. En septiembre de 2023, Lake Worth Beach, Florida, se convirtió oficialmente en una "ciudad santuario LGBT" para proteger y defender los derechos LGBT.
Desde 2021, bajo el liderazgo del gobernador Ron DeSantis, el estado ha experimentado una erosión significativa de los derechos LGBT, especialmente de las personas transgénero. En junio de 2021, se aprobó un proyecto de ley que impide que las mujeres y niñas transgénero participen en deportes femeninos en las escuelas.
En abril de 2023, el grupo de defensa LGBT de Florida, Equality Florida, emitió una alerta de viaje para las personas LGBTQ+ que debían evitar visitar o mudarse al estado. El siguiente mes de mayo, la Campaña de Derechos Humanos se adhirió a la alerta de viaje, citando la legislación recientemente firmada por el gobernador DeSantis, aunque no llegó a llamar a un boicot del estado.DeSantis firmó varios proyectos de ley que prohibían el acceso a la terapia de reemplazo hormonal para menores transgénero y creaban barreras para el acceso a la terapia de reemplazo hormonal para adultos, incluyendo la prohibición de la cobertura de seguros para dichos tratamientos y la exigencia de que un médico administre el tratamiento en lugar de una enfermera. Además, los proyectos de ley permiten que las personas transgénero que utilicen un baño acorde con su identidad de género en un edificio público sean acusadas de allanamiento de morada, amplían la Ley de Derechos de los Padres en la Educación, permiten a los médicos negar servicios basándose en creencias personales y restringen las "actuaciones en vivo para adultos" en cualquier lugar donde pueda haber niños (en particular, se centran en las actuaciones de drag, como afirma DeSantis).
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA expects that all relationships
among persons in the office or any event we produce, will be business-like and free of bias, prejudice and harassment.
UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA has developed this policy to ensure that all its employees can work in an environment free from unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation. UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that all concerned are familiar with these policies and are aware that any complaint in violation of such policies will be investigated and resolved appropriately.
Any employee or volunteer who has questions or concerns about these policies should talk with the Executive Director or a member of the Board of Directors or of the Board of Advisors.
These policies should not, and may not, be used as a basis for excluding or separating individuals of a particular gender, or any other protected characteristic, from participating in business or work-related social activities or discussions. In other words, no one should make the mistake of engaging in discrimination or exclusion to avoid allegations of harassment. The law and the policies of UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA prohibit disparate treatment on the basis of sex or any other protected characteristic, with regard to terms, conditions, privileges and perquisites of employment. The prohibitions against harassment, discrimination and retaliation are intended to complement and further those policies, not to form the basis of an exception to them.
_____________________________________________________________________
UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA está comprometida con un ambiente de trabajo en el que todas las personas sean tratadas con respeto y dignidad. Cada individuo tiene derecho a trabajar en un ambiente profesional que promueve la igualdad de oportunidades de empleo y prohíbe prácticas discriminatorias ilegales, incluido el acoso. Por lo tanto, UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA espera que todas las relaciones entre las personas en la oficina o cualquier evento que produzcamos, sean comerciales y libres de prejuicios, prejuicios y acoso.
UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA ha desarrolló esta política para garantizar que todos sus empleados puedan trabajar en un entorno libre de acoso, discriminación y represalias ilegales.
UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA hará todos los esfuerzos razonables para asegurarse de que todos los interesados estén familiarizados con estas políticas y sean conscientes de que cualquier queja en violación de dichas políticas será investigada y resuelta adecuadamente. Cualquier empleado o voluntario que tenga preguntas o Las inquietudes sobre estas políticas deben hablar con el Director Ejecutivo o un miembro de la Junta de Directores o de la Junta de Asesores. Estas políticas no deben, y no pueden, usarse como base para excluir o separar a personas de un género en particular, o cualquier otra característica protegida, de participar en negocios o actividades sociales o discusiones relacionadas con el trabajo. En otras palabras, nadie debe cometer el error de incurrir en discriminación o exclusión para evitar acusaciones de acoso. La ley y las políticas de UNITY COALITION|COALICIÓN UNIDA prohíben el trato desigual sobre la base del sexo o cualquier otra
característica protegida, con respecto a los términos, condiciones, privilegios y requisitos del empleo. Las prohibiciones contra el acoso, la discriminación y las represalias pretenden complementar y
promover esas políticas, no constituir la base de una excepción a ellas.
WHAT UC|CU DOES WITH 100% OF EVERY PENNY RECEIVED
AWARDED | 50k for LGBT College Scholarship program in the Arts, Design, Education and Cosmetology.
SHOWCASED | 80+ artists, writers, dancers, performers & community leaders in year round programming.
ASSISTED | 300+ families & individuals to much needed healthcare, housing & legal representation.
PRODUCED | ELEVATE Workshops - a Day of Being Nicer; TRANSART Artists Showcase and Conference; TransLives Project documentary & 11 personal account videos on Transgender community; launched first Trans TECH Social hub in the U.S.; LGBT College Scholarship Fund; State of Hate Workshop; Human Trafficking, Immigration & Legal Assistance Workshops; Community Resources Online Center; New Year’s Eve Gala; Breakfast Salon with Miss Trans Israel Talleen Abu Hanna; The SARA GALA honoring Sara Montiel, and our 8th annual 15 day Celebrate ORGULLO Festival…over 50 days of Community Programming in 2017.
PARTICIPATED IN | AIDS Walk Miami, TransCon, Miami Beach Gay Pride, OUTShine Film Festival, & PRIDE Collective program.
PARTNERED WITH | the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), City of Miami, Consul General of Britain, Consul General of Israel, CP Productions, The BETSY South Beach, Barry University, Care Resource, Creation Ballet, Florida International University (FIU), Fountainhead Studios, Hiro
Sake, Hispanic Cultural Arts Center, HRC, The Hub @ LGBT Visitor Center, Jackson Health, Ma’avarium (Passageways-Israel), Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Miami Beach Police Dept., Miami Beach Community Church, Miami Center for Architecture & Design (MCAD), Miami Dade
College, OUTShine Film Festival, Pridelines, Pride Center at Wilton Manors, QUEST Workspaces, Soul Sisters, St Johns on the Lake, Stonewall Museum & Archives, Starbucks, Story Corps, SunServe, University of Miami, Whispering Angels Foundation & more, to produce programming
& services.
Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida, Inc. is a Florida registered 501C3 non-profit organization. We have proudly been serving the South Florida Latino|Hispanic|LGBTQ community since 2002, advocating for Equality, Education & Fairness.
We are fully staffed & managed by volunteer professionals. Our offices are donated space by Quest Workspaces. Imagine HOW MUCH MORE we can serve our community – with YOUR HELP.
Please consider a generous donation today - CLICK HERE
In Memory...
LUIS PENELAS
Mr. Penelas was a nationally respected civil activist, preservationist and community leader. As a spokesperson for LGBT issues, HIV/AIDS and civil rights, Mr. Penelas served on various community boards, as well as on the Board of Advisors of Unity Coalition.
Mr. Penelas passed away July 2006 and will be greatly missed.
RON BRENESKY
Mr Brenesky was a civil activist, political pundit and community leader. As a spokesperson for LGBT issues, healthcare and hispanic rights, Mr. Brenesky served as on the Board of Advisors of Unity Coalition.
Mr. Brenesky passed away from Covid complications in 2019 and will be greatly missed.
Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida, Inc.
2002 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa – President, Luisa Rondón-Lassen -Vice President, Christian Aguilar - Treasurer “Ron” Saul Brenesky- Secretary, Dahlia Canes, Dr. Laura Leyva, Isabel Morgado, Dr. Manuel Laureano-Vega OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg ADVISORS: Doralba Muñoz
2003 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa – President, Luisa Rondón-Lassen -Vice President, Christian Aguilar - Treasurer “Ron” Saul Brenesky- Secretary, Dahlia Canes, Dr. Laura Leyva, Isabel Morgado, Dr. Manuel Laureano-Vega OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg ADVISORS: Doralba Muñoz
2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa - President, “Ron” Saul Brenesky - Vice President, Christian Aguilar - Treasurer, Miguel Trujillo - Secretary, Dahlia Canes, Maria DeLak, Dr. Laura Leyva
OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg ADVISORS: Luis Penelas, Dr. Manuel Laureano-Vega
2005 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa – President, “Ron” Saul Brenesky - Vice President, Christian Aguilar – Treasurer, Dahlia Canes – Secretary, Arturo Alvarez, Alex Fernandez, Axel
Javier, Efren Martinez Pulgarón, Dr. Laura Leyva, Miguel Trujillo OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg
2006 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa - President, “Ron” Saul Brenesky - Vice President, Christian Aguilar - Treasurer, Dahlia Canes - Secretary, Arturo Alvarez, Alex Fernandez, Axel Javier,
Dr. Laura Leyva, Efren Martinez-Pulgarón, Miguel Trujillo OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg
2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa - President, “Ron” Saul Brenesky - Vice President, Christian Aguilar - Treasurer, Dahlia Canes - Secretary, Dr. Laura Leyva, Dr. Arturo Alvarez, Alexis Fernandez, Dr. Manuel Laureano Vega, Efren Martinez-Pulgarón, Oscar Medina, Tony Rodriguez OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg
2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa - President, Dahlia Canes, Dr. Laura Leyva, Dr. Arturo Alvarez, Christian Aguilar, “Ron” Saul Brenesky, Dr. Manuel Laureano-Vega, Efren Martinez-
Pulgarón, Oscar Medina OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg
2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Dahlia Canes, Dr. Laura Leyva, Dr. Arturo Alvarez, Christian Aguilar, “Ron” Saul Brenesky, Dr. Manuel Laureano-Vega, Efren Martinez-
Pulgarón, Oscar Medina OF COUNSEL: Alan Ginsberg
2009 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa|President, Dahlia Canes, David Carcache-Guzman, Armando Diaz, Jr.,Efren Martinez-Pulgarón
2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa|President, Vanessa Brito, Dahlia Canes, Milan Rodriguez, Luis E. Gonzalez, Eddie I Sierra, David A.C. Turley
2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Luis E. Gonzalez- Treasurer, Vanessa Brito, Ile Morales, Cathy Toruño, Antonio Lopez Ferez, Michael "Moses" Stein, Darvin "Will" Williams
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Walker Burttschell, Linda Horton, Milan Rodriguez, Tim Harrises, David A.C. Turley OF COUNSEL: Darvin Williams
2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Luis E. Gonzalez- Treasurer, Ile Morales, Cathy Toruño, Antonio Lopez Ferez, Michael "Moses" Stein, Darvin "Will" Williams
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Walker Burttschell, Linda Horton, Milan Rodriguez, Tim Harrises, David A.C. Turley OF COUNSEL: Darvin Williams
2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Luis E. Gonzalez- Treasurer, Ile Morales, Cathy Toruño, Maria Lago, Antonio Lopez Ferez, Michael "Moses" Stein,
Darvin "Will" Williams (0f counsel) BOARD OF ADVISORS | Linda Horton, Milan Rodriguez, Tim Harrises, David A.C. Turley
2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Luis E. Gonzalez- Treasurer, Maria Lago, Max Brava, David Kessler, Antonio Lopez Ferez, Michael "Moses" Stein, Ken Carrington
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Linda Horton, Ile Morales, Milan Rodriguez, Tim Harrises, David A.C. Turley
2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Angel Camacho, Michael Gongora - Of Counsel, Aryah Lester, Christopher Padron, Michael "Moses" Stein,
Sasha Westerman-Keuning, Ken Carrington
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Max Brava, David Kessler, Maria Lago, Milan Rodriguez, David A.C. Turley
2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Heather Susan Carr | Treasurer, Michael Gongora - Of Counsel, Aryah Lester, Christopher Padron, Harold Sloan-Marrero, Michael
"Moses" Stein, Sasha Westerman-Keuning, Ken Carrington, Weslee Lim, Mari Zapata
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Max Brava, David Kessler, Maria Lago, Milan Rodriguez, David A.C. Turley
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Heather Susan Carr | Treasurer, Michael Gongora - Of Counsel, Mari Alexander, Holam Antonetti, Aryah Lester, Christopher Padron,
Ariel Morel, Harold Sloan-Marrero, Mil Ocampo, Sasha Westerman-Keuning
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Sandra Holiday, Milan Rodriguez, Angela Salter, Hernan Valverde
2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, Michael Gongora - Of Counsel, John O. Buckley, Aryah Lester, Jose Aybar, Morgan Mayfaire, Christopher Padron, F. Jouseph Sliba,
Harold Sloan-Marrero,
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Sandra Holiday, Milan Rodriguez, Hernan Valverde
2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, John O. Buckley | Vice President, Harold Marrero | Secretary, Jose Aybar, Ella Marques, Morgan Mayfaire, Christopher Padron,
BOARD OF ADVISORS | Sandra Holiday, Aryah Lester, Ashley Mayfaire, Milan Rodriguez, Hernan Valverde
2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, John O. Buckley | Vice President, Jose Aybar | Secretary, Dr. Houston R. Cypress, Robert Duggar, Samantha LeTroy, Christin James,
Morgan Mayfaire, Christopher Padron
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Anthony Cabrera, Houston Cypress, Victor Diaz-Herman, Sandra Holiday, Aryah Lester, Ashley Mayfaire, Hernan Valverde,
2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, John O. Buckley | Vice President, Jose Aybar | Secretary, Dr. Houston R. Cypress, Samantha LeTroy, Christin James, Kishi Chad
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Sandra Holiday, Aryah Lester, Ashley Mayfaire, Morgan Mayfaire, Ella Marques, June Raven Romero, Hernan Valverde,
2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Herb Sosa | President, John O. Buckley | Vice President, Jose Aybar | Secretary, Kishi Chad, Dr. Houston R. Cypress, Samantha LeTroy, Diego Cifuentes, Luis
JT Flores, Melba De Leon, Fay Carmona-Albernas
BOARD OF ADVISORS
David Fernandez, Sandra Holiday, Aryah Lester, Ashley Mayfaire, Morgan Mayfaire, Ella Marques, June Romero, Christin James, Hernan Valverde,