Report reveals Florida’s dramatic shift in favor of gay equal rights

Florida now ranks among the top five states in the nation in protecting GLBT people from discrimination, according to a report released by the statewide civil rights group Equality Florida. Equality Florida’s report, Winning Equality, looks at the progress made in Florida since the organization formed in 1997. It documents pro-equality successes in areas of workplace non-discrimination, family recognition, and school safety, while also highlighting that the organization has defeated anti-LGBT legislative efforts in every session over the past 13 years. “A great deal of work remains, but Floridians can be proud of the progress in our state over the past decade,” said Nadine Smith, executive director for Equality Florida. “This report demonstrates that while political winds may shift during an election cycle, the long-term trend in Florida is strongly in favor of fairness and equality for everyone, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.”