Nadine Smith is leading the fight against Ron DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ+ hate
Equality Florida, Smith has been in her post since 1997. Over the years, she’s fought to successfully repeal the state’s gay adoption ban and other anti-LGBTQ+ measures.
Way back in 1991, she was the first out Black lesbian to run for Tampa Bay City Council, and earned the most votes in the primary.
But now, Smith, and Florida’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community, are faced with perhaps their biggest challenges yet. DeSantis has championed a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws over the last year, beginning with the state’s odious “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender ideology across all grade levels.In addition, he’s signed bills that outlaw gender-affirming care for minors, and make it a criminal offense if adults don’t use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Florida’s new anti-drag law threatens the liquor license of any business if that business admits a child to an adult live performance.While the landscape is certainly bad now, Smith says she’s ready for the fight.A post shared by Equality Florida (@equalityfl)“Florida was one of the worst states when it came to LGBT rights,” she told the Tampa Bay Business Journal earlier this year. “We’ve been able over time to undo a lot of the really horrific things.
