The event, which began in 1991, has become one of the largest Pride gatherings in the United States. The attendees wore red shirts with slogans such as "Say Gay" and "Don't say DeSantis" to show their opposition to the governor's "Don't Say Gay" legal crackdown.
The event was a clear stand against DeSantis, whose legislation and legal feud with Disney sparked LGBTQ+ rights organizations to issue travel warnings over the Sunshine State.
June 05, 2023
Joseph Clark, CEO of Gay Days Inc., whose events are welcomed but not sponsored by Disney, said, "Right now is not the time to run. It's not the time to go away. It's time to show we are here, we are queer and we aren't going anywhere."
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Clark added that reservations at the hotel hosting the event were slower than normal, although all 1,001 rooms were eventually booked. Some attendees called ahead to ensure they would not be arrested for attending events, especially drag shows, after a law threatening harsh punishments if children attend "adult live performances."
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June 05, 2023
One of the regular attendees, Sara Haynes, from Atlanta, decided not to visit Florida after lawmakers started planning legislation to restrict treatment options for trans people. "It's less a crusade and more like, 'I'm not going to spend my money where bad things are going on,'" Haynes said.
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Others went to throw support behind Disney, which has made a stand against the legislation even as other Pride events are canceled across Florida over reported safety fears. Mark Stegall, who traveled from Illinois with his partner, Robert Motz, said, "Disney welcomes everybody. Maybe the governor of Florida doesn't, but Disney does."
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To show how welcoming "Gay Days" is, Clark has extended an open invitation for DeSantis to attend one of its drag shows. "Come on out and see that not everything you hear out there is reality," Clark said in a message to the governor.
"There's a part of me that hopes that if he were to see a show, maybe his mind would change, or maybe he would see the people his actions are affecting."
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DeSantis has repeatedly said that his legislation is merely protecting children from indoctrination. "I'm standing for parents. I'm standing for children, and I think a multi-billion dollar company that sexualizes children is not consistent with the values of Florida," he told Fox & Friends soon after announcing his 2024 run.
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Disney sued DeSantis, saying the state's actions violated Disney's contract rights and arguing DeSantis's efforts represent an attempt to curb the company's First Amendment rights. CEO Bob Iger has criticized DeSantis's "retaliation" as "anti-business" and "anti-Florida," and his company scrapped plans to build a nearly $1 billion corporate campus in central Florida that would have housed 2,000 employees.
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The birth of Gay Days was about being visible at a time when it was dangerous to be visible, said Brandon Wolf of Equality Florida. "The same is true now," he added.
The event CEO, Clark, said, "For some, it's the safety aspect, for others, they don't want to spend money in a state that doesn't support them. My message has been, 'We need your help here in Florida.'" Despite the cancellation of some events, the attendees showed their defiance and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
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