Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people are flocking to central Florida this weekend to go on theme park rides, mingle with costumed performers, dance at all-night parties and lounge poolside at hotels during Gay Days, a decades-long tradition.
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune.A statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stands in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Jan. 9, 2019.
that the Sunshine State may no longer be safe — Gay Days organizers are still encouraging visitors from around the world to come to one of Florida’s largest gay and lesbian celebrations.They say a large turnout will send a message that LGBTQ+ people aren’t going away in Florida, which is continually one of the most popular states for tourists to visit.
Currently Disney is embroiled in a legal fight with DeSantis over the governor and Republican lawmakers’ takeover of Disney World’s governing district — after Disney officials publicly opposed legislation that critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” In response, some Florida cities, including St. Cloud near Orlando, have canceled Pride events altogether.
Even before these travel advisories were issued, some regular Florida visitors were reconsidering their plans. Sara Haynes, who lives in metro Atlanta with her husband, decided not to visit the state after lawmakers started planning legislation to restrict treatment options for trans people. “We live in a bubble here in Orlando, where even with the chaos in Florida, we feel safe here,” said Jeremy Williams, editor-in-chief of Watermark Publishing Group Inc., a Florida-based media company that is one of the sponsors of Gay Days.
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LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days festivalCentral Florida is about to become a hub of LGBTQ+ life. That's because tens of thousands of people are flocking to the area’s theme parks and hotels this week to go on thrill rides, dance at all-night parties and lounge poolside at hotels during the decades-long tradition known as Gay Days. The slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have championed are not stopping organizers from encouraging visitors from around the world to come to Orlando. They say a large turnout will send a message that LGBTQ+ people aren’t going away in Florida.
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LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days festivalCentral Florida is about to become a hub of LGBTQ+ life
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LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days festivalTens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people are flocking to central Florida this weekend to go on theme park rides, mingle with costumed performers, dance at all-night parties and lounge poolside at hotels during Gay Days, a decades-long tradition.
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