*Members of the LGBTQ+ community are flocking to Florida this weekend for the decades-long “Gay Days” tradition.
Florida lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis have pushed a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws but that’s not stopping the loud and proud queers from visiting the Sunshine State for gay and lesbian celebrations, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Hundred of thousands are expected to partake in hotel pool parties, drag bingo, and descend upon Orlando’s theme parks.
“Right now is not the time to run. It’s not the time to go away,” said Joseph Clark, CEO of Gay Days Inc. “It’s time to show we are here, we are queer and we aren’t going anywhere.”
Clark wants DeSantis to accept an invitation to see one of the drag shows during the festivities.
“Come on out and see that not everything you hear out there is reality,” said Clark, AJC reports. “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.”
Meanwhile, some Florida cities, such as St. Cloud near Orlando, have canceled events for Pride month.
“As you know, Florida has recently passed a number of laws that target the LGBTQIA+ community. These laws have created a climate of fear and hostility for LGBTQIA+ people in Florida. We believe that holding an LGBTQIA+ event in this environment would put our community at risk,” organizers for St. Cloud’s Pride events wrote to announce the cancellation.
“We have made the difficult decision to cancel the upcoming PRIDE in St. Cloud event scheduled for June 10.
We have been working hard to plan this event for months, and we were excited to celebrate our community with you. However, we have recently become aware of a number of factors that make it unsafe to hold this event at this time,” the statement continued.
READ MORE: Pentagon Cancels Drag Show At Air Force Base As Pride Month Begins
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