Virtual Lobby Day for LGBTQ Rights in Florida

Equality Florida is encouraging netroots activists to urge legislators to sponsor three LGBT equality bills. The bills would ensure fairness in the areas of employment, adoption, and spousal benefits.

• The Florida Competitive Workforce Act (HB 391 by Skidmore and SB 798 by Gelber) This bill would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state law that already protects people in employment and housing based on race, religion, sex, age and disability.

• Repeal of Florida's Adoption Ban (HB 3 by Brandenburg and SB 102 by Rich) Equality Florida continues to work with legislators to repeal the ban. With approximately 3,000 children waiting for adoption in Florida's foster care system, the state desperately needs to open up the pool to include qualified gay and lesbian parents.

• Domestic Partnerships (HB 477 by Steinberg SB 232 by Sobel) This bill would create a statewide domestic partnership policy in Florida. Dozens of cities and companies in Florida already offer some form of domestic partnership benefits, but right now there are no statewide protections for our families.

Take action by filling out this form to contact your representative and state senator.

Ask the Kissimmee City Commission to Approve Domestic Partnerships

Equality Florida has an action alert supporting LGBT city employees in Kissimmee Florida:

"In the coming weeks, the Kissimmee City Commission will consider the approval of domestic partner benefits for city employees.

If approved, Kissimmee will join dozens of municipalities across Florida in offering its employees some form of domestic partnership coverage. The inclusion of domestic partner coverage provides a critical lifeline for all unmarried city employees, gay and straight.

Help Kissimmee take it’s rightful place as a fair-minded city by voicing your support for domestic partner benefits."

Please send this message so that partnership benefits are approved.

Demand McDonald's Offer Protections Based on Gender Identity/Expression

The worlds largest fast food chain McDonald's has been under the spotlight after an Orlando manager refused to hire a seventeen year old transgender woman Zikkeria Bellamy because of her gender identity. The manager harassed the teen by leaving a voice-mail saying: "You will not get hired, we do not hire faggots" The manager of that location has since been fired, but the corporate policy still does not include protections on the basis of gender identity/expression.

McDonald's issued this press release regarding the incident:

"McDonald’s has a strict policy prohibiting any form of discrimination or harassment in hiring, termination, or any other aspect of employment in the organization. The restaurant requires all employees to comply with local, state and federal employment laws." (GLAAD)

Please urge McDonald's to alter their corporate policy regarding employment practice to include protections on the basis of gender identity/expression.

Also, be sure to sign our act.ly petition to McDonald's on Twitter.

Endorse the Florida Competitive Workforce Bill

The Florida Competitive Workforce bill adds "sexual orientation and gender identity and expression" to Florida's civil rights law that bans discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.

Take a stand today. Sign on to this letter of support as an individual, organization and/or company and spread the word.

Gay Republicans to Rally in Fort Lauderdale Tonight

A group of gay and lesbian conservatives will gather in Fort Lauderdale to celebrate the arrival of a new club in South Florida on Friday Sept. 11.

The new club was created as another avenue for local gay and lesbian conservatives to network and to engage in local activism. The group’s basic principles of a free market economy strong defense personal freedom and responsibility align perfectly with basic Republican tent pole issues. In addition the Sunshine Republicans aim to increase GLBT awareness and inclusion in the party and in the nation.

While monthly meeting information is to be announced the new club will host its high profile kickoff event at the Fort Lauderdale City Hall on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public in an attempt to lure conservatives to the new group and to the Republican Party. The meeting will feature special guest Robert Lowry Republican candidates for Congress and other guests from the community. More special guests are to be announced.

Please visit www.sunshinerepublicans.org for further meeting details or to find out more about the Sunshine Republicans.

Crossposted via Miami Herald.

Southern AAA Reverses Policy and Recognizes LGBT Families

7/27/09: "During a face-to-face meeting on Wednesday, July 21, between Equality Florida and AAA South, top management at the 4th largest AAA affiliate in the country committed to recognizing all spouses, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The policy allows gay married couples to receive spousal discounts under AAA's Associate Membership program" (Planet Transgender).

Send AAA South a thank you letter with Equality Florida's E-form for their commitment to equality

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6/29/09: The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a 50 million member North-American lobbying, insurance and service organization. The organization isn't a single entity but comprised of several smaller regional clubs.

Equality Florida is reporting that "AAA South is made up of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Puerto Rico and that they have taken an increasingly hard line in rejecting the recognition of gay and lesbian couples"

The problem is that there are some reports that "AAA refused to provide a family or associate membership to the callers partner to even those who were legally married elsewhere or have civil union or domestic partnership status." In fairness to the company there are also many statements by couples who claim they had no problems and faced no discrimination.

Other AAA's around the country are fully inclusive and recognize LGBT families.

Contact AAA South membership services and urge them to promote fairness and adopt a uniform standard for dealing with LGBT individuals and couples.

Membership services:
1-800-222-1134

Gov. Charlie Crist "Will Think" About Gay Adoption in Florida

Launching a tour to promote "Explore Adoption Day" in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist is now signaling he may be open to allowing gays the right to adopt. Currently Florida and Arkansas are the only two states that expressly forbid gay couples from adopting, while other states do create unnecessary hurdles for couples seeking to adopt.

"Now a candidate for U.S. Senate, Crist hinted today that he might support lifting the ban. At first, Crist said it would be the Legislature's responsibility to change the law. When pressed on whether he would support the effort, Crist said, "I'd have to think about it" (Tallahassee).

The ACLU and advocates of ending the adoption ban are receiving this as positive news by a governor who up until now said he opposes gay adoption and supports the existing ban.

Please urge the governor to support repealing the adoption ban, let him know that the science is in and children of gay couples do just as well as those raised by heterosexuals, and some reports indicate that they may be more open minded to diversity.

Office of Governor Charlie Crist
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Executive Office of the Governor Switchboard: (850) 488-7146