Culture

Florida Governor Vetoes Mental Health Funding for Pulse Survivors on Second Day of Pride Month


LGBTQ+ groups across the state condemned the governor’s actions. One Orlando Alliance, a support network for advocacy organizations in Central Florida, noted in a statement to them. that the 5th anniversary of the Pulse shooting is in just nine days and said the denial of resources those affected by the violence shows a “blatant disregard for the needs of our LGBTQ+ community.”

“These actions also reflect a callous attitude toward the ongoing needs of Latinx, Black, and other community members who experience additional layers of discrimination,” said executive director Josh Bell.

The attack, which took place on Pulse’s Latin night, predominantly claimed the lives of queer people of color. Over 90% of victims were Latinx.

As the Orlando community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the devastation, the onePULSE Foundation said that the resources that The LGBT+ Center provides to survivors and their families “are still needed 5 years later.” According to WJXT, the organization’s programming is a “one-stop shop for Pulse survivors,” providing everything from “counseling services to employment assistance.”

“Many people rely on [The LGBT+ Center] to navigate their journey of healing because there is no timeline for grief and trauma,” a representative for the onePULSE Foundation, which was created to develop a memorial to victims of the shooting, told them. in an email.

While DeSantis has yet to respond to criticism of his veto, his office has dismissed the backlash. Spokeswoman Christina Pushaw told WJXT that he increased mental health funding by $212 million over the previous year’s budget.

“Governor DeSantis has been a champion on mental health since day one — and he absolutely supports each and every Floridian who has experienced such horrific trauma, which has a lifelong impact on survivors,” Pushaw added in comments shared with the Orlando Sentinel.

According to the Sentinel, DeSantis also killed spending for LGBTQ+ mental health counseling the prior year.

 Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis

The governor’s vetos were just his most recent actions to earn the wrath of LGBTQ+ advocates in Florida. This week, DeSantis also signed a bill banning trans female students from competing in school sports in alignment with their gender at a public ceremony held at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville. He claimed the legislation, Senate Bill 1028, ensures that women’s athletics is “preserved” and “protected.”

“Girls are going to play girls sports, boys are going to play boys sports,” he claimed during the event, as reported by the local NBC affiliate WESH.

While the legislation was marginally watered down prior to its passage, an early version of SB 1028 could have mandated genital exams or DNA testing for any female athlete whose gender is disputed, including cisgender girls. The bill was thought to be dead until it was attached to an unrelated charter school measure and pushed through Florida’s GOP-controlled legislature.

The LGBT+ Center concluded that the attacks on queer and trans people in consecutive days show that DeSantis is no friends to the community. “Governor DeSantis has once again proved that he is one of the most homophobic and transphobic governors in the United States,” Wallace said in a statement.

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