LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days festival

[CaptainTruth]

Cross posting from GD.

LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gay Days festival

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — 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.

Even though Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have championed a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws — spurring the most prominent gay rights group in the U.S. and other civil rights organizations to issue warnings 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 are not going away in Florida, which is continually one of the most popular states for tourists to visit. If the hoped-for 150,000 or more visitors come to the half-week of pool parties, drag bingo and thrill rides at Orlando’s theme parks and hotels, then “that’s the point,” said Joseph Clark, CEO of Gay Days Inc.
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More at link.

[link:https://apnews.com/article/florida-disney-desantis-lgbtq-gay-days-22811565acacb9c2209f53f73e097600|]

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Good! FL has long been where many gays want to move (because it is warm). And they have

lots of money for the most part. However, w/ Florida getting more and more expensive, I don't know if this is true anymore (w/ people moving to FL to live).

[OldBaldy1701E]

2. That number might actually stay the hand

Of the DeSantis troopers. I doubt they can field tens of thousands of police just to patrol and cite people wearing boas and I doubt they could do much if those boa wearing revelers decided to really get spicy (read: belligerent over the DeSantis troopers out being brownshirts). But we will see. I just hope they don't have a 'Vegas sniper' scenario. I really, really hope that they don't.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. "Gay Days" take over Florida's Disney World. (Photos: Thomas Simonetti/Washington Post)

Link to tweet