6 minute read
STATE NEWS
MIAMI STREET RENAMED HARVEY MILK WAY
Jose Cassola, South Florida Gay News
MIAMI | For Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson, it took eight months of perseverance to get his vision and proposal adopted by the commission to name streets on each of the four sides of Pride Park after human rights activists. On Sept. 17, the official street-naming dedication ceremony for Harvey Milk Way took place in front of Miami Beach City Hall. “I had the great privilege of hosting the official street-naming dedication ceremony for Harvey Milk Way, which is the first street in the state of Florida named after the LGBTQ human rights activist,” Richardson said. “I want to thank my colleagues who supported my initiative. It took almost eight months, but together we got it done!”
Gregory Branch, who is running for a seat on the commission in Group 1, said “recognizing Harvey Milk as a trailblazing pioneer who gave hope and inspiration to many was long overdue.”
Throughout 10 days of events for Miami Beach Pride, Branch says he was “honored to participate in a smorgasbord of feel-good events,” including the Milk dedication. “As a candidate [and before], I like to think I carry the baton in the fight for inclusivity in government and leadership,” he said.
Added Paul Thomas of the Miami Beach Pride Board of Directors: “It was a history-making day in Miami Beach as we named 18th Street near Pride Park ‘Harvey Milk Way’ in honor of the famous Harvey Milk, who was assassinated in San Francisco after being the first out politician in California.”
Another street around Pride Park had already been named for Muhammed Ali. The street naming was championed by Richardson.
“As the Chairman of the LGBTQ Advisory Committee for the City Of Miami Beach, I was honored to be in attendance and to meet Mr. Milks’ nephew, Stuart,” Thomas said, adding that a navy ship will also be named in Milk’s honor in October after he was dishonorably discharged for being gay.
Joe Saunders, senior political director at Equality Florida, thanked Richardson on Facebook for his commitment to the cause and for inviting him to represent Equality Florida at the unveiling of Harvey Milk Way.
“Miami Beach, my chosen home, became the FIRST city in Florida to name a street after LGBTQ trailblazer Harvey Milk. What a great way to start Miami Beach Pride Weekend,” Saunders said. “Thank you to Mayor Dan Gelber, Commissioner Micky Ross Steinberg, Commissioner Michael Góngora and Commissioner Mark Samuelian for your support and presence [at the unveiling]. It was disappointing to remember that not all members of our commission supported this project. We’ve still got work to do.”
LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS HONOR MELANIA TRUMP
PALM BEACH, FLA. | Former first lady Melania Trump is set to be a special guest at the annual “Spirit of Lincoln” dinner hosted by Log Cabin Republicans, the organization announced Sept. 14.
The event — which will take place Nov. 6 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, marking a change of tradition in holding the dinner in D.C. — will likely mark an attempt for Trump to develop her image as an LGBTQ ally and tamp down the reputation the Trump administration was hostile to LGBTQ people.
Charles Moran, managing director for Log Cabin Republicans, hailed Trump in a statement for her work as first lady and breaking barriers for the Republican Party.
“Melania Trump’s work as First Lady, from helping children reach their full potential to championing a more inclusive Republican Party, has been historic,” Moran said. “Her vocal support of Log Cabin Republicans has been a signal to Republicans everywhere that it is possible to simultaneously be conservative and support equality under the law for all Americans.”
According to the Log Cabin Republicans, Trump at the dinner will be awarded with the 2021 Spirit of Lincoln Award. Other high-profile Republicans in the past who have appeared at the annual event are Carly Fiorina, Newt Gingrich, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Mary Cheney.
Moran, in response to an email inquiry from the Washington Blade, said Trump will not only be an award recipient, but is set to deliver remarks at the event. It won’t be the first time Trump has collaborated with Log Cabin. During the 2020 election, she appeared in a video for Outspoken, the media arm for Log Cabin Republicans, saying “nothing could be further from the truth” her husband, former President Donald Trump, is against LGBTQ people.
Among the anti-LGBTQ policies under the former president were a transgender military ban, religious freedom carve-out seen to enable anti-LGBTQ discrimination and the U.S. Justice Department arguing against LGBTQ inclusion under civil rights law when the issue was before the U.S. Supreme Court. Nonetheless, he connected with a certain faction of LGBTQ people and his administration included high-profile LGBTQ appointees, such as Richard Grenell as the first openly gay person to serve in a Cabinet role.
Melania Trump said in 2020 she wanted to light up the White House in rainbow colors similar to the display during the Obama years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriage nationwide. However, the vision never came to pass at a time when White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows had a role in quashing symbolic support for LGBTQ people in Pride Month.
The Log Cabin announcement comes at a time when Melania Trump is facing new scrutiny over her response to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and whether she erroneously believes, like her husband, he was the winner of the 2020 election.
STUDENTS HURL ANTI-LGBTQ SLURS AT GSA
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLA. | A group of students at Bartram Trail High School in suburban Jacksonville hurled anti-LGBTQ slurs at the GSA (Gay-Straight/ Genders & Sexualities Alliance) club Sept. 17.
The abuse was caught on multiple mobile phones and posted to SnapChat, Tik Tok and Instagram by other students and quickly spread. In one video, a male is seen holding up a handmade Confederate battle flag on a small stick while dropping the word ‘fag’ and other slurs including statements disparaging the Black Lives Matter movement.
In another video while one student is stomping what appears to be a small Pride flag on the ground, in the background another can be heard screaming, “There’s only two genders, faggot.”
Outraged parents are demanding action by school officials. Parents and others also sent the videos to CBS affiliate WJAX-TV in Jacksonville which originally reported on the incident.
One parent who did not wish to be identified told WJAX action news JAX that she is the mother of one of the GSA students targeted. She confirmed the incident took place Sept. 17, and added that a Pride flag was ripped out of her daughter’s hand.
“She’s approached by one of the boys, who started yelling at her saying, ‘You’re gay. You have no rights,’ and kind of spitting at her. She walked past it and got on her bus,” the mother said.
According to WJAX the mother labeled the incident “sad” and wants the St. John’s County School District to take immediate action.
“I think if you show that level of hate or attacked at people just for people being who they are, there’s no tolerance for that,” she said.
She also told the station she had forwarded the videos to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed that it had sent to its youth resource division.
A spokesperson for the St. John’s County School District told WJAX that “School officials are actively addressing the incident and students involved will receive consequences that align with our student code of conduct.” That policy listed on the SJCSD web site clearly notes that students are to respect the right of others to express their views, however does not allow forms of bullying and harassment.
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