Florida LGBTQ Voters ‘Extremely Motivated’ to Vote in Midterm Elections

A new survey revealed that LGBTQ and ally voters have grave concerns about their basic human rights, including access to abortion, freedom of speech, and health care.

Florida’s LGBTQ voters and ally voters have grave concerns about their basic human rights, including freedom of speech and evidence-based health care for LGBTQ youth, according to Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and chief executive of GLAAD.

This, and the restoration of abortion rights, common-sense gun safety reform, and lowering inflation are spurring a large percentage of LGBTQ people and their straight ally voters in Florida this year.

“They’re motivated to make a difference in this crucial election.”

The July 5-12 survey conducted by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) revealed that 67% of the LGBTQ population and those who support them believe current elected officials are taking away their basic human rights. This makes them “extremely motivated” to vote in the state’s midterm elections this year, according to responses provided by registered state voters.

In fact, the study showed that 58% of LGBTQ+ voters are more motivated to vote this year than they were in the 2020 presidential election. The date for the 2022 midterm elections is Aug. 23. The general elections take place Nov. 8.

A Question of Human Rights

Voters surveyed also expressed interest in repealing the Parental Rights in Education law (HB 1557), dubbed by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and which took effect July 1, which bans teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. It also limits how public-school educators through high school may address these topics.

RELATED: Florida School District Axes LGBTQ Anti-Bullying Video After DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law

Because K-12 public school teachers in Florida are neither required nor expected to educate their students on sexual orientation or gender identity, a whopping 70% of LGBTQ and ally voters in Florida believe the intent of the Florida law is to attack LGBTQ people.

It also takes away important resources for LGBTQ students—such as “Safe Spaces” and anti-bullying programs—despite research that has found that attempted suicide rates and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth are significantly higher than among the general population.

For this reason, a suit fighting the law was filed by families of public school children in Orange County and Indian River County, an Orange County high school student who is openly gay, and a coalition of LBGTQ community.

“HB 1557 was enacted to shame and silence LGBTQ+ children and families, stigmatizing them, subjecting them to adverse treatment, and barring them from full and equal protection in their school communities,” argues the suit.

RELATED: Disney Signs Open Letter Supporting Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act

Democrats in the Sunshine State have vigorously fought back against the law.

Democratic Florida Rep. Carlos G. Smith, a member of the LGBTQ community, made a public promise to students on across the state: “We will get up, stand up, wake up every single day to fight for you because your lives matter.”

“[That] is not what Florida stands for. We won’t stop fighting against this attack on our LGBTQ+ Floridians,” expressed Rep. Charlie Crist, who is running to unseat DeSantis in November.