A recent survey by Clever, a real estate service, has named several cities in Florida among the least LGBTQ+ friendly in the United States. Out of the 50 cities assessed in the survey, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville were listed in 40th, 46th, and 48th place, respectively, indicating significant challenges for the LGBTQ+ community in these areas.
The survey compared the 50 most populous metro areas in the US across 14 metrics, including municipal equality scores, the presence of LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare providers per 100,000 residents, the existence of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ laws, and the number of pride events per 100,000 residents. These metrics shed light on the state of LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare accessibility, and community support in these cities.
Since 2021, Florida, under the leadership of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, has introduced a series of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have had a profound impact on queer public life. These bills have included measures to prevent transgender individuals from accessing gender-affirming care, restrictions on where drag performances can take place, and provisions allowing doctors to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people on the grounds of “moral” beliefs.
While some of these laws have been struck down by the courts, others have passed and are being used to curtail LGBTQ+ rights at various levels. The most prominent of these bills is the Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly referred to as the state’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which prohibits classroom discussions on topics related to gender and sexuality.
Despite Governor DeSantis’s assertion that the legislation is intended to prevent “indoctrination,” the bill has been used to push right-wing policies, ban books and literature, restrict high school and university courses, and investigate teachers for showing films featuring LGBTQ+ characters.
The implementation of such laws has prompted human rights groups to caution LGBTQ+ individuals against traveling to Florida and encouraged those already living there to seek refuge in more LGBTQ+-friendly states.
Clever’s research also identified the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the US, with San Francisco leading the list, followed by Hartford and Las Vegas. Conversely, the cities that scored the least favorable rankings were Memphis, Houston, and Jacksonville.
The survey underscores the ongoing struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Florida and highlights the disparities in LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance across different regions in the United States.