In an effort to counter Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched new social media ads aimed at promoting the region as "champions of diversity."
The new ads double down on efforts to promote the area in light of the new measure dubbed by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" law, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The newspaper noted that one of the ads shows images of same-sex couples having a drink and having fun in the surf. In another video, a smiling man is seen leaning over to get a kiss from his companion. A caption on the screen reads: "We are gay."
Those in the South Florida tourism industry are promoted in the ads as having "open minds and open hearts."
"We are forced to respond with a message of inclusion against one that is hate," said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, Broward County's tourism promotion arm.
The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 28, forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
DeSantis and Republicans have repeatedly said the measure is reasonable and that parents, not teachers, should be broaching subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity with their children, according to The Associated Press.
Critics maintain the bill is so vaguely worded that speech could be muzzled throughout public schools.
"We closely follow what the [Florida] Legislature does," Ritter said. And the "past couple years have been particularly hateful. We've chosen to message ourselves as we have done for 30 years as diverse and inclusive, not necessarily as a direct response, but certainly as a response to the Legislature and the governor's targeting of minority communities."
The ads will only run on social media.
Meanwhile, New York Mayor Eric Adams earlier this month announced the launch of digital billboards across Florida denouncing Florida's law and urging the LGBTQ community to move to New York City.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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