LGBTQ

The break echoes similar splits among mainstream Protestant denominations.

Books on LGBTQ+ topics are currently being restricted in schools across Florida due to proposed legislation. Educators share how access to similar books helped them understand their sexual identities growing up.

Florida lawmakers Wednesday reached the halfway point in this year’s 60-day legislative session. The House and Senate have passed high-profile bills involving issues such as affordable housing and school vouchers, but major issues remain to be resolved.

The proposed rule could be used “to censor viewpoints in support of LGBTQ+ youth and families,” Kara Gross, legislative director for the ACLU of Florida, said in a statement condemning the plan.

In a densely filled auditorium, choral music swept through the air, churning emotions throughout the room. Tissues were out, hearts were pounding, and eyes teared as the performance unfolded. Choral Artistry performed the three-part oratorio, “Considering Matthew Shepard” at Faith Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral last Sunday.

Playwright Beka Brunstetter’s poignant comedy The Cake recently completed and extended run at The Naples Players. Now it’s Fort Myers’ chance to see what the fuss is all about. There’s a lot in this play for local theater-goers to sink their teeth into.

Carefree Community is a lesbian neighborhood in North Fort Myers that was developed by married couple Gina Razete and Cathy Groene. Resident Sharon Rodgers has lived in the community for over twenty years, and she describes it as a sisterhood. There are still the usual spats between neighbors, but at the end of the day everyone is there for one another, and that’s what she thinks makes Carefree a special place.

A conversation with filmmaker Elegance Bratton and Producer Chester Algernol Gordon about the documentary “Pier Kids,” about the lives and struggles of homeless queer and trans youth of color at the Christopher Street Pier in New York.

Controversy continued Monday night over the Lee County School District’s student code of conduct, particularly as it pertains to non-discrimination policy concerning LGBTQ students. District staff recommend the removal of an Equality Florida poster from schools that spell out LGBTQ student rights.

Late last year, qward-winning LGBTQ+ advocate Arlene Goldberg released a memoir titled, “Simple Human Dignity: My Life, My Wife, Our Story.”The compelling narratives weaved through this memoir tell the story of Arlene’s life and her 47-year relationship with her wife Carol Goldwasser. In April of 2014, Arlene became a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit brought on by the American Civil Liberties Union that led to U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle ruling that Florida’s ban on same sex-marriage was unconstitutional. The decision came prior to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that struck down same-sex marriage bans throughout the country.Through this case, Arlene and Carol Goldwasser made history by becoming the first same-sex couple to have their marriage legally recognized by the state of Florida. The victory was bitter-sweet, as Carol did not live to see that day.