The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington,D.C.,the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGBTQ individuals,including advocating for same-sex marriage,anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation,and HIV/AIDS advocacy. The organization has a number of legislative initiatives as well as supporting resources for LGBTQ individuals.
Richard David Kriseman is an American politician who served as the 53rd Mayor of St. Petersburg from 2014 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 53rd district from 2006 to 2012.
Geraldine Fortenberry Thompson is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party,who currently serves as a member of the Florida State Senate from the 15th district.
Dorothy L. Hukill was an American politician who was a Republican member in the Florida Senate who represented parts of the Volusia County area from 2012 until her death in 2018. She represented the 14th district,encompassing southern Volusia and northern Brevard Counties,since 2016,after being redistricted from the 8th district,which included parts of Volusia,Lake,and Marion Counties. She also served in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 28th district in southern Volusia from 2004 to 2012.
Thad Altman is a Republican politician who currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing parts of the Melbourne area in central Brevard County since 2016. Previously,he represented a similar area in the House from 2003 to 2008,and served in the Florida Senate from 2008 to 2016.
Dwayne L. Taylor is a Democratic politician who currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 27th District from 2008 to 2012 and the 26th District,which stretches from Daytona Beach to DeLand in northern Volusia County,since 2012.
Perry Eugene Thurston Jr. is an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2022. He represented the 33rd district,which includes Lauderhill,Lauderdale Lakes,North Lauderdale,Margate,Oakland Park,and surrounding areas in Broward County. He previously served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the Fort Lauderdale area from 2006 to 2014,and was the House minority leader in his final term. Thurston was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General of Florida in 2014.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Florida have federal protections,but many face legal difficulties on the state level that are not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity became legal in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas on June 26,2003,although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since January 6,2015. Discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment,housing and public accommodations is outlawed following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. In addition,several cities and counties,comprising about 55 percent of Florida's population,have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances. These include Jacksonville,Miami,Tampa,Orlando,St. Petersburg,Tallahassee and West Palm Beach,among others. Conversion therapy is also banned in a number of cities in the state,mainly in the Miami metropolitan area,but has been struck down by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. In September 2023,Lake Worth Beach,Florida became an official "LGBT sanctuary city" to protect and defend LGBT rights.
Andy Gardiner is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida Senate,representing the 9th District from 2008 to 2012,and the 13th District,which stretches from Orlando to Titusville,from 2012 to 2016. From 2014 to 2016,Gardiner served as the President of the Florida Senate. Prior to Gardiner's election to the Senate,he served in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 40th District from 2000 to 2008.
The 2014 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 4,2014,to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Florida.
David Richardson is an American politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 113th district from 2012 to 2018. Richardson was elected as a Miami Beach commissioner in November 2019.
The David Bohnett Foundation is a private foundation that gives grants to organizations that focus on its core giving areas –primarily Los Angeles area programs and LGBT rights in the United States,as well as leadership initiatives and voter education,gun violence prevention,and animal language research. It was founded by David Bohnett in 1999. As of 2022,the foundation has donated $125 million to nonprofit organizations and initiatives.
Gwendolyn Graham is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district from 2015 to 2017. She is the daughter of Bob Graham,the former United States senator and governor of Florida. A Democrat,she was a candidate in the 2018 Democratic primary for Florida governor. Graham is currently assistant secretary of education for legislation and congressional affairs in the Biden administration.
Rene "Coach P" Plasencia is an American Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 50th District from 2016 to 2022. He previously was elected in the 49th District in 2014,in Orange County.
Carlos Guillermo Smith is an American community activist,lobbyist,and Democratic politician. He is a member-elect of the Florida Senate from the 17th district,covering much of Orange County east of I-4,having been elected without opposition upon the qualifying deadline on June 14th. He previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 49,situated in northeastern Orange County from 2016 through 2022,which covered the University of Central Florida area,Alafaya,Goldenrod,Union Park,Rio Pinar,and Waterford Lakes.
The Pride Center at Equality Park is an LGBTQ+ community center in Wilton Manors,Florida,that serves Broward County,Palm Beach County,and Fort Lauderdale. The center provides information,news,and events that affect South Florida's LGBTQ community. Established in 1993,the center is headquartered within a 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) building with meeting and office space for individuals,programs,services,and organizations. The goal of the center is to empower the LGBT communities in South Florida.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday,November 6,2018,to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida,one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices,including a gubernatorial election,other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate,and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28,2018.
Dean J. Trantalis is an American politician and mayor of Fort Lauderdale,Florida. Before his election as mayor,Trantalis served as a city commissioner for Fort Lauderdale from 2009 to 2017.
Anna Vishkaee Eskamani is an American politician who is a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 42nd district in Orange County,which covers parts of Orlando along with Maitland,Winter Park,Eatonville,Edgewood,and Belle Isle. She is the first Iranian American elected to any public office in Florida.
