I was asked by my department head if I was interested in being the faculty representative at the big women in computing conference in Orlando. I replied that as a trans woman it's now “functionally illegal" for me to go to Florida. As in technically not illegal, but impossible to do so in a way that both complies with the law and is safe. Shocked that it's come to this. #Transgender #Florida
@fullyabstract FWIW, Orlando is not Tallahassee.
Our town is inclusive and covered in pride flags. I have a progress pride flag waving over my front door right now, just east of downtown Orlando, and the touristy areas are even more welcoming.
We voted against this bullshit. Orlando, Tampa, and Miami are the resistance. We have a trans population here and LGBTQ outreach organizations and a killer pride parade. You definitely should not feel unsafe in these cities (at least no more so than any other city).
That said, I understand if you still don't want to.
@voron @fullyabstract Demonstrably untrue. I, and many other LGBTQ people, live here perfectly safely.
@LouisIngenthron @fullyabstract can you be arrested for violating anti lgbtq state laws?
@voron @fullyabstract Generally, no. I could possibly be civilly sued for some of them, but I'm not employed by the state as an educator, so I'm really not in that kind of position. And most of the more egregious state laws have been struck down by federal courts already anyway.
@fullyabstract @LouisIngenthron as far as I’m aware HB 1521 is still on the books and your position seems to amount to, they haven’t come for me personally “yet” which isn’t really safe
@voron @fullyabstract As far as I know, they haven't come for *anyone* yet. Can you find any record of anyone actually being arrested under that law?
It's bullshit, I agree, but it's also the kind of thing that almost certainly wouldn't be enforced in liberal cities like Orlando.
@LouisIngenthron @fullyabstract good luck too you, until Florida gets sorted, the conversations I’ve had indicate myself and my other lgbtq friends will be avoiding the state like the plague
@voron @LouisIngenthron @fullyabstract good, I learned a long time ago that just because something is safe for men doesn’t mean it is safe for women.
@LouisIngenthron @voron @fullyabstract They were not harassing anyone for wearing masks using this law, until they did.
Good luck with your privilege!
@maggiemaybe @voron @fullyabstract Okay: (A) That law you're citing was written in 1951 to crack down on the Klan. (B) The only record I can find of someone being arrested for it was 4 years ago, and the charges were dropped. (C) It has applicability requirements that you failed to include in your screenshot (see below).
Sorry if I have so much privilege that I can actually google shit before posting it.
@LouisIngenthron @voron @fullyabstract
I can believe that some cities in Florida are safer for LGBTQ folks than others. But I don't believe for a minute that any member of the LGBTQ community is "perfectly" safe anywhere in that state. Particularly when it comes to trans people of color. I wouldn't even say that San Francisco, where I live, is perfectly safe for trans folks.
Flying pride flags is nice, but a very long way from guaranteeing safety.
@funcrunch Right, nowhere on earth is "perfectly safe", but I meant that it was no less safe than the average American city, and I stand by that.
Still don't buy that. Especially not when it comes to trans folks of color.
@funcrunch Every other business here has a sticker by the door with a pride flag designating it as a safe space. Our LGBTQ center just started a multimillion dollar renovation. We paint landmarks in the city with the pride colors and we'll never forget what happened at Pulse, nor how the community banded together after it happened.
We also showed our support for people of color in summer 2020 where the protests were so massive, I couldn't see the beginning or end from the middle.
Nowhere is perfect, but Orlando has a strong community that stands by those who have been marginalized.
I have no doubt that Orlando has a strong community of LGBTQ folks and allies. But again, I am not impressed by displays of Pride colors. The police stations here in San Francisco have Pride stickers saying they are safe spaces. They are not. Particularly for Black folks.
@LouisIngenthron @funcrunch so because you, a white dude, feels safe, there’s no reason for a trans woman, part of a group that has been specifically targeted by the state and all its legal powers, should feel unsafe?
“I don’t have any problems, so you won’t either.”
Is that really your view?
Also, it seems not everyone in Orlando is down: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/orlando-police-investigate-hateful-anti-gay-message-written-traffic-si-rcna85315
@bynkii You seem to have read a bunch of stuff I never wrote. Have fun beating that strawman. 🙄
@LouisIngenthron (see image for what I’m responding to)
My brother in Christ, when a Trans Woman expressed her concerns about being trans in Fl., you, an evidently cis white guy who will never have to worry about what fucking bathroom you’re allowed to use, *completely* dismissed her worries because of rainbow stickers and other performative nonsense, none of which change the legal reality for trans people in Florida.
Way to go. Way. To. Go.
I'm fairly certain the people who were around the Pulse nightclub at the time of the mass shooting would object to your assertion that Orlando is a safe place.
@EverydayMoggie @voron @fullyabstract I both attended and performed at Pulse several times prior to the shooting.
The community's reaction to that event, and their continued outpouring of solidarity and support to this day, bolsters my argument.
And, fwiw, the LGBTQ folks around here still turn up to gay clubs every night just fine. We aren't scared.
Besides, if your standard is "no lunatics commit unprovoked lone-wolf violence", then I don't think a single city in this entire country would qualify as "safe".
@LouisIngenthron @EverydayMoggie @fullyabstract I wish you well, but Florida is a Nope. Will work hard with sister district etc, but travel, tourist etc? Nope
@LouisIngenthron @fullyabstract the only money I want to spend in Florida is to fund the opposition
@asbestos @fullyabstract Great, then come visit us:
@LouisIngenthron @fullyabstract the whole state is unsafe