Statewide

Press Statement:
Defying DeSantis: Communities Show Their Rainbows as State Threatens Cities

St. Petersburg, FL — Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Transportation have issued a new letter to cities threatening to withhold millions in critical emergency relief funding unless they remove street art, including rainbow crosswalks.

Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith released the following statement in response:

Equality Florida Condemns DeSantis for Defacing Pulse Memorial; Calls on Floridians to #ShowYourRainbow in Response

Orlando, FL — In the dead of night, Ron DeSantis ordered part of the Pulse memorial painted over — defacing a sacred space in the heart of Orlando that honors the 49 lives stolen in one of the deadliest massacres in U.S. history.

As the new school year kicks off, families have received a not-so-welcome “Back to School” letter from Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education urging parents to monitor and report teachers.

Media Statement

Orlando, FL — This morning, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier held an unexpected press conference in Orlando regarding transgender athletes and women’s sports. Equality Florida issued the following statement in response:

Resistance Report: Federal Edition (July)

We’re back with another edition of our Federal Resistance Report! The amount of breaking news coming out of Washington, D.C. is overwhelming and exhausting by design. But remember, you’re not alone! The Equality Florida team is tracking federal policies, gathering resources, and working with our legal and national partners to assess the impacts on LGBTQ Americans and to resist.

Tracking Federal Developments

Updated as of July 7, 2025

The Supreme Court Sided with Politicians — We Stand with Trans Youth and Their Families

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s law banning doctors from providing essential health care to transgender youth. It’s a deeply disappointing decision—one that history will judge harshly. Politicians have no place in the exam room. Parents, not lawmakers, should make medical decisions for their children.