All Issues

Written by: Janelle Irwin

St. Petersburg is officially gay-friendly. Based on the annual nationwide Municipal Equality Index rating, St. Pete earned a perfect score on its level of LGBT equality.

“I’m proud to say our score is the best in the Tampa ay region,” mayor Rick Kriseman said during a press conference on the steps of City Hall. The city received a score of 100, up from just 66 last year.

Written by: Charlotte Robinson

Equality Florida will be hosting their 12th Annual Equality Florida Broward Gala at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Panorama Ballroom in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday November 16th. The highlight of the event will be the presentation of the Voice for Equality award to South Florida resident Jazz Jennings, who was recently announced as one of the “25 Most Influential Teens of 2014” by Time magazine.

Written by: Elizabeth White

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- The Human Rights Campaign based in Washington, DC gave Tallahassee high marks based on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender inclusion in local laws and policies.

The city was given an index value of 81, which is far above the average for the rest of Florida cities, which sits at 65. It also trumps the national average of 59.

Written by: Margie Manning

Diversity is key to developing a live-work-play environment that is vital for businesses and the workforce they are seeking.

That's why the perfect 100 score that St. Petersburg got on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index is being celebrated widely at City Hall and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The index measures the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in municipal law and policy.

Written by: Margie Menzel

The 2014 election wasn't a good one for Florida's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

LGBT organizations supported Democrats Charlie Crist for governor and George Sheldon for attorney general, but both lost. So did state Rep. Joe Saunders, D-Orlando, one of the first two openly gay members of the Legislature, elected in 2012.

When the Flagler County School Board unanimously approved bereavement leave for school support personnel in domestic partnerships in July as part of the latest labor negotiations, it was the first time that domestic partnerships that include same-sex unions have been acknowledged in the contract. This opens up questions about why now and what benefits could follow.

Written by: Steve Rothaus

Panelists this year will be U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston; Rea Carey of the National LGBTQ Task Force; Kevin Cathcart of Lambda Legal; Nadine Smith of Equality Florida; and attorney Paul Smith.

“Based on what has happened this week, it should be an interesting discussion,” said Our Fund CEO/President Anthony Timiraos, referring to Tuesday’s election. Here’s the complete news release, with biographies of the 2014 speakers:

Written by: Dan Avery

Even as we applaud the growing number of states embracing marriage equality, there are couples for whom it comes to late: Equality Florida has shared the tragic story of Liz Molina, who passed away this week before Florida lifted its ban on same-sex marriage and before she could be recognized as a wife and mother.

Liz, 35, succumbed to cervical cancer on Monday, just days before before her partner Joan Rodriguez is due to give birth to their son, Liam.