Florida strikes again! The official website for Florida tourism – VisitFlorida.com – quietly removed a section dedicated to LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations some time in the past few months. Archived versions of the site viewable on Internet Archive show the section had featured videos and information about the Sunshine State’s queer-friendly events, beaches, and travel ideas.
Florida’s official tourism website quietly removed a landing page for the state’s LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations sometime in the past four months. https://t.co/zQ83bLjwM4
— NBC Out (@NBCOUT) August 20, 2024
From NBC News:
The link where the LGBTQ Travel page had been (https://www.visitflorida.com/things-to-do/cultural/lgbtq/) now directs users to a general “things to do” landing page.
It is unclear exactly when the landing page was removed, but it was available as recently as April 19, according to the Internet Archive.
It is also unclear why Visit Florida, a nonprofit created as a public-private partnership by the Florida Legislature in 1996, removed the landing page and who was behind the decision.
The website does continue to provide travel information for destinations specific to other minority groups, including Black and Hispanic travelers.
As regular readers of TRR know, this is just the latest in a long list of efforts to curtail LGBTQ expression in the state. In the past few years, the state has passed so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws, attempted to restrict drag shows, and defunded diversity programs at Florida colleges. Last week I reported here how the New College of Florida trashed hundreds of LGBTQ-centered books after closing its Gender and Diversity Center.
#Florida’s official tourism website QUIETLY removed a landing page for the state’s #LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations sometime in the past four months. Good job @GovRonDeSantis!! Divisive much? How to help destroy a large part of our tourism … https://t.co/ODxaWuAnya
— @UW_FL_lelone (@UW_FL_lelone) August 20, 2024
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