Less than a week after the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida, the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the U.S. has issued its own.
The Human Rights Campaign, alongside Equality Florida, issued an advisory Tuesday warning people of the “the risks associated with relocation or travel to Florida,” citing what the organization calls Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “recent wave of discriminatory bills.”
Ron DeSantis continues to make Florida an unwelcoming, dangerous place for LGBTQ+ people with his recent wave of discriminatory bills.
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 23, 2023
That's why we're joining @equalityfl's travel advisory warning people about the state's extremist policies.
While announcing his 2024 presidential campaign on Twitter Spaces Wednesday evening, DeSantis responded to the NAACP’s travel advisory by calling it a “political stunt.”
What did the HRC statement say?
“While not a blanket recommendation against travel nor a call for boycott, the travel advisory outlines the devastating impacts of laws that are hostile to the LGBTQ community,” a statement from HRC reads.
The advisory is an updated version of the one Equality Florida issued in April, with the newest one including details about “expanded anti-LGBTQ restrictions in health care and education,” according to HRC.
Among other policies, DeSantis recently signed into law “new restrictions on gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors, drag shows, bathroom usage and which pronouns can be used in school,” CNN reported.
DeSantis responds to travel advisories for Florida
While announcing his 2024 presidential campaign on Twitter Spaces Wednesday evening, DeSantis responded to the NAACP’s travel advisory by calling it a “political stunt.”
“Claiming that Florida is unsafe is a total farce,” DeSantis said, per Fox News. He added, “If you look at cities like Baltimore and Chicago, you got kids more likely to get shot than to receive a first class education. Yet, I don’t see the NAACP batting an eye about all the carnage that’s happening in those areas. So this is a political stunt.”
In response, the NAACP retweeted a tweet from Washington Post writer James Hohmann who wrote, “If you’re attacking the NAACP in your campaign launch you’re losing.”
If you’re attacking the NAACP in your campaign launch, you’re losing.
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) May 24, 2023
Civil rights groups that have issued travel advisories for Florida
Other civil rights groups have also recently issued travel advisories for Florida.
Below is a complete list of civil rights groups that have issued travel advisories to Florida this year: