NYC Mayor Eric Adams Launches Billboards in Florida Opposing “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has announced that the city will put up five digital billboards in Florida to show the city’s opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Source: ABC Action News/Youtube

In a statement, Adams said they will put five different digital designs in five major Florida markets, including Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. The billboards will be up for eight weeks, and they expect to receive five million impressions.

“I am the mayor of New York City, but I have a message for Florida’s LGBTQ+ community — come to a city where you can say and be whoever you want,” said Mayor Adams. “Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is the latest shameful, extremist culture war targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Today, we say to the families living in fear of this state-sponsored discrimination that you will always have a home in New York City.”

The legislation signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis aims to stop instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Opposers who call the bill “Don’t Say Gay” are worried about what this will do for the LGBTQ+ community.

“This is the city of Stonewall. This is the city where we are proud to talk about how you can live in a comfortable setting and not be harassed, not be abused, not only as adults but also as young people,” Adams said.

The designs were donated by WPP agencies, including VMLY&R, BCW, H+K Strategies, and Kinetic, who secured the ad space. Adams displayed the billboards during his speech. One of them says,

“People say a lot of ridiculous things in New York. ‘Don’t Say Gay’ isn’t one of them,” one reads. While another says, “When other states show their true colors. We show ours.”

Adams says that the city plans to denounce the new legislation loudly and says that everyone has the right to self-identification, adding that it can be a matter of life and death.

Advocates have already filed suit in the state over the bill and will likely challenge it. The lawsuit alleges that the legislation purposefully uses broad terms and invites arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.

Earlier this year, although a long supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, Adams angered the community when he appointed three men who have taken anti-gay positions to posts. When asked about the hires, he said,

“This is not a community that’s going to be silent,” Adams said. “If they see something they don’t like, they’ll let you know.”

“We can work through anything but we will never go to the days where we will publicly demonize a group, and that’s what’s happening now,” he added. “And so they voiced their concern about the hires that we made and we’re going to continue to move forward.”

PFLAG is the first and largest organization that works to unite parents, families, and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The organization recently partnered with Have A Gay Day to also put billboard campaigns all over the country in rural communities. There are currently more than 200 billboards around the United States in 20 states, and they plan to continue to expand to more states in the following weeks.

It’s amazing to see NYC and the rest of the country standing up against these discriminatory laws, and the LGBTQ+ community of Florida will know that NYC will accept them with open arms. Sign this petition to demand that all U.S. states pass anti LGBTQ+ discrimination laws now! For LGBTQ+ resources, please check out the PFLAG website, which lists crisis intervention hotlines, Support chats, and other information.

Related Content:

• Eric Adams’ First 100 Days in Office: Are Public Health, Sustainability, and Animal Welfare Headed in the Right Direction?
• 10 LGBTQ-Owned Plant-Based Restaurants and Food Companies
• The Biden Administration Is Paying Thousands To Victims Of LGBTQ+ Discrimination
• Petition: Pass Anti-Discrimination Laws for LGBTQ+ Individuals in Every State
• Eric Adams and Hillary Clinton Bond Over Almost Plant-Based Lifestyles
• Petition: Allow LGBTQ+ Community to Give Blood

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!