The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus applauds all of the LGBT-identified Democrats who applied for and qualified to be a candidate for delegate for the 2016 Delegate Selection Caucuses being held this Saturday, May 7th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  It is very important that our community is represented at the national convention and as of today, we have 99 LGBT identified applicants on ballots from 25 out of 27 Congressional Districts.

The delegates elected on Saturday will be attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July and these races are very competitive.  Here is the list of candidates and which candidate they are pledged to.  You will find both Hillary and Bernie supporters are running to represent their chosen campaign and they need your support.  The Florida LGBTA Caucus is not endorsing any of the candidates but we are asking for you to get out and vote this Saturday and we want you to consider supporting the LGBT delegate candidate of your choice.

At the election sites on Saturday, each registered Democrat will get a ballot corresponding to his/her presidential preference to vote for individuals from that Congressional District.   You will just need to sign in, get a ballot, and vote! It’s that easy!

On behalf of the caucus and these delegates -Thank you for your vote!

The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus opposes the Marion County School Board’s pending vote on its “emergency” resolution that seeks to prohibit transgender students from using bathrooms they  identify with (and require them to use bathrooms based on the gender listed on their birth certificates).

The LGBTA Democratic Caucus is asking all of its members and supporters to take action now by letting the Marion County School Board members know that you oppose this dangerous resolution.  You can email the five Marion County School Board members to urge them to vote No on the resolution at these addresses:

Nancy.Stacy@marion.k12.fl.us,
Carol.Ely@marion.k12.fl.us,
Bobby.James@marion.k12.fl.us,
Angelia.Boynton@marion.k12.fl.us,
Kelly.King@marion.k12.fl.us

If you live in Marion County or the surrounding area you can also show your support for transgender students by attending the Marion County School Board meeting on Tuesday, April 26, at 5:30 PM at 512 SE 3rd St, Ocala, FL34471.

The resolution would require students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender assigned at birth as opposed to that which aligns with their gender identity.  Here  is the proposed text of the “transgender resolution”.

If passed, this policy would imperil the safety of transgender and gender nonconforming students who would be forced to use bathrooms that do not correspond to their gender identity.  It would stigmatize these students and expose them to potential bullying and harassment.

If passed, the Marion County School Board resolution could result in a loss of federal education dollars.

Some background:  The resolution already passed on a 4-1 vote last week, with the Board Chair Bobby James voting in dissent, stating that it should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Just last week a federal appeals court in Virginia ruled that a similar school board policy there constituted discrimination based on sex.  From the Washington Post:  “…The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit deferred to the U.S. Education Department’s position that transgender students should have access to the bathrooms that match their gender identities rather than being forced to use bathrooms that match their biological sex.  The department has said that requiring transgender students to use a bathroom that corresponds with their biological sex amounts to a violation of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination at schools that receive federal funding.”

Thank you for taking action now to show your support for transgender students in Marion County public schools!

Please join the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus at 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 16th, as we welcome State Representative David Richardson to Orlando. For more information, view the event flyer. To RSVP, visit this link.

WASHINGTON –  DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement in response to Louisiana Governor JohnBel Edwards’ executive order that protects state workers and contractors from being harassed or fired due to their gender identity or sexual orientation:

“I applaud Governor John Bel Edwards for continuing our party’s strong tradition of equality and protecting all Americans from discrimination. His executive order protecting state workers and contractors from anti-LGBT discrimination will help ensure that LGBT Louisianans have the equal protection under the law they deserve.

“Governor Edwards’ leadership stands in stark contrast to the disingenuous arguments that we’ve heard from Republican leaders in North Carolina, in Mississippi, in Washington, DC, and elsewhere. We have seen Republican Governors cater to the most extreme voices in their party by signing anti-LGBT bills and we’ve seen the Republican National Committee endorse policies that would further target the LGBT community for discrimination. Sadly, anti-LGBT measures have become part of the standard Republican playbook. Discrimination is neither a ‘right’ nor a ‘liberty.’ Hatred holds our nation back, and creates divisions where none should exist.

“Governor Edwards’ action today proves once again that the Democratic Party is the party of inclusion, diversity, and respect for all. It’s long past time for the Republican Party to join our efforts to expand equality for everyone.”

WASHINGTON – Upon news that Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has signed the discriminatory House Bill 1523 into law, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement:

“It’s embarrassing, shameful, and truly perplexing that the Republicans still don’t get it. LGBT Americans are entitled to equal protection under the law, just as everyone else. No exceptions. No allowances for discrimination. That we’re even still debating this in 2016 boggles the mind.

“‘Right to Discriminate’ measures signed into law by Republican governors are proof that the Republican Party’s leaders are stuck in the dark ages when it comes to equality and that they’ve been on a divisive path toward destruction since long before Donald Trump ran for president. In fact, the Republican National Committee has passed resolutions calling on state legislatures to pass discriminatory ‘bathroom bills’ targeted at LGBT youth and calling on Congress to pass a national ‘Right to Discriminate’ law that they cynically call the First Amendment Defense Act.

“No American should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s not very complicated, and that’s not who we are as Americans. It’s long past time for the Republicans to get the message.”

Become a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention

July 25-28, 2016

As a reminder, the Florida Democratic Party has allocated delegates that each candidate has earned based on the results of our recent primary. You can view that document here. The Florida Democratic Party has set a goal for 12% of delegates from the state be openly LGBT. Our Caucus is committed to ensuring that we meet, if not exceed, that goal! If you are interested being elected as a district-level delegate for either Secretary Clinton or Senator Sanders, please find out how to run and then apply to become a delegate.

Your application must be received by Thursday, April 7!

Here are the locations where the delegates will be elected on May 7th!

The Transgender Day of Visibility recently brought the following statement from the Democratic National Committee and Chair Rep Debbie Wasserman-Schultz:

On Transgender Day of Visibility, DNC Chair Speaks Out Against Republican Anti-LGBT Efforts

The Republican Party just can’t help themselves. From North Carolina, Mississippi and now Arkansas, elected officials are finding ways to deny LGBT individuals of their right to full and equal protection under the law.

In celebration of the Transgender Day of Visibility, DNC Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz is calling on GOP lawmakers and elected officials to end their divisive, discriminatory campaign to erode legal protections for members of the LGBT community.

On Wednesday, the Mississippi legislature passed the “Religious Liberty Accommodations Act,” an anti-LGBT bill that fosters bigotry under the guise of allowing people, businesses or religious organizations to refuse service to members of the LGBT community. The bill goes as far as allowing businesses and organizations to impose “sex-specific standards or policies” on behavior.

That same day, Arkansas’ Republican Attorney General asked the state Supreme Court to review a Fayetteville ordinance, saying that the ordinance conflicts with a state law prohibiting localities from passing their own laws to prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community.

DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“Instead of tearing down the walls that divide, the Republican Party is erecting new barriers of bigotry. The Republican-dominated Mississippi legislature passed a horrific, so-called religious liberty bill that promotes intolerance. Religious liberty should never be used as a license to discriminate. This bill can be too broadly interpreted, and can be used as justification for county clerks to deny marriage licenses for same-sex couples or for businesses to fire LGBT employees solely based on their orientation.

“Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is equally wrong for appealing a decision backing Fayetteville’s anti-discrimination ordinance. Apparently Fayetteville voters learned something in kindergarten that the AG hasn’t – it’s wrong to bully or harass people for their differences. Arkansas should not follow North Carolina’s disgusting example.

“As we celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility, we need to recommit ourselves to fighting against the discriminatory laws that Republican-controlled legislatures have passed or are trying to pass. Our nation has worked too hard to distance ourselves from the ugliest chapters in our history when discrimination was codified by our laws. We cannot move forward as a people or as a nation if we design laws that seek to diminish or demean people because of who they are or who they love.”