Like many of my LGBTQ brothers and sisters, I was disappointed after Monday's "gay wedding cake" ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The main argument made by the baker in this case was that by selling a cake to a gay couple, he would be condoning their actions and therefore violating his faith. I see only two logical explanations for this position: Either he thinks so little of his own religion that he believes engaging in a single deed of everyday commerce at a local bakery would equate to a heretical act against God, or he is just demonstrating the age-old technique of using religion to shield his personal bigotry.
Either way, I cannot help but wonder whether he conducts rigorous biblical observance background checks on all his customers, or just the gay ones.
Three years into nationwide marriage equality, and two years after the Pulse nightclub massacre, this court ruling reminds the gay community _ once again _ that we are forced to fight every single day for access and representation in a nation that for over 200 years has billed itself as the land of opportunity and equality. True, the court did not condone bigotry or overtly embrace a wide religious exemption to anti-discrimination laws, but the declaration of victory by the opponents of same-sex marriage was a slap in the face to the gay community and all Americans who believe in common decency.
June is Pride Month, a time to reflect on the victories won by generations of Americans who came before us, many of whom laid down their lives so that the current generation of LGBTQ Americans could enjoy the freedoms we have now. It's also a time to reflect on what's left to be done, and in Florida, there's plenty.
Florida is a prime example of what happens when politicians stand in the way of public progress. While many citizens enjoy protection against racial and gender discrimination _ as they should _ Florida has no state laws protecting gender identity or sexual orientation in the work force or housing. For several years in a row, a bipartisan coalition of state legislators has proposed adding sexual orientation and gender identity to our state anti-discrimination laws, and a 2017 poll found that over 70 percent of Floridians support such protections. Yet despite those signs of genuine support, Florida's political leadership refuses to bring these bills to a vote.
It's no different for conversion therapy, a dangerous and abusive practice that too often results in suicide by gay teenagers desperate to escape their deliberately inflicted misery. As with housing and job discrimination, more than 70 percent of Floridians support banning conversion therapy, but the entrenched powers that be block its passage in the Legislature. It's as if they have no shame as they enable this egregious practice of legalized torture. Some cities and counties have made efforts to implement protections for LGBTQ youth locally, but an incomplete patchwork does not protect the most vulnerable Floridians among us.
I will never forget that three years ago, I stood on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington as the justices inside announced the decision in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges, which expanded marriage equality throughout the United States. The celebration that followed was electric, with people dancing and singing and cheering, met only intermittently by warnings of eternal damnation (as one might expect, given the topic). I was living history, sharing with my friends a unique experience we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. It was incredible. It was uplifting. It was empowering. It was ... so long ago.
Roll up your sleeves, Floridians. It's Pride Month, and there's still a lot of work to do.
