Two of Florida’s leading Democrats running for governor are sharing personal stories of why civil rights protections for gays and lesbians are important.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham marked the start of “Pride Month” Thursday by declaring her reaffirmation of support for gay rights and statewide protections. Graham expressly announced she would push hard for the “Florida Competitive Workforce Act,” which would extend nondiscrimination practices to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer Floridians. The bill has been introduced in several successive sessions, gaining increasing co-sponsors and backing by business groups, but has never passed a chamber. She also vowed to sign an executive…
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who’s faced a torrent of criticism this week for agreeing to speak at a conservative Christian conference that included others with harsh gay-bashing rhetoric, used his pulpit there Friday to urge love for the gay community. “I want to be clear with you, abandoning judgment and loving our LGBT neighbors is not a betrayal of what the Bible teaches; it is a fulfillment of it,” Rubio declared Friday before a reported 500 Florida Christian pastors attending the American…
One of the plaintiffs in the fight to overturn Florida’s gay-marriage ban has penned an open letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the same week of her feud with CNN newsman Anderson Cooper. Christian Ulvert, a Miami-based communications consultant, wrote Bondi that he “dismayed by the response you offered to Mr. Cooper regarding your efforts in your relentless fight against the LGBT community.” Bondi and Cooper have been sniping at each other over a live interview they did Tuesday. The…
Pastor Richie Clendenen stepped away from the pulpit, microphone in hand. He walked the aisles of the Christian Fellowship Church, his voice rising to describe the perils believers face in 21st-century America. “The Bible says in this life you will have troubles, you will have persecutions. And Jesus takes it a step further: You’ll be hated by all nations for my name’s sake,” he said. “Let me tell you,” the minister said, “that time is here.” EDITOR’S NOTE — This…
The Shaks’ first-year wedding anniversary today started they way most do, with flowers and anniversary cards, and the couple is planning to end it tonight with a romantic evening. Until recently, few saw that as possible, at least not this soon — for them or thousands of other couples who got married in Florida last year. Carrie and Malene Shak of Celebration were among the first same-sex couples to be wed in Florida when that became legal one year ago.…
Seeking to be family friendly, Florida may have learned a hard lesson in how not to be Hollywood friendly. The Sunshine state startled the film industry recently when a bill was introduced in the state Legislature that would disqualify movies and TV shows that contained “nontraditional family values” from receiving a supplemental “family friendly” tax credit that’s been in effect for a couple of years. The bill, unanimously endorsed last week by a key legislative committee, is part of a…
