Even with him seated firmly in the executive offices of Tallahassee, there is still a cloud of mystery surrounding Rick Scott—especially pertaining to his views of LGBT residents living in the state.
The new Republican governor has never shown support for LGBT issues and while campaigning he used anti-LGBT rhetoric in both the primary and general election seasons. He even went as far as to attack former State Attorney General and one-time gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum for his ties to “pro-homosexual rights” presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. He also said he favored continuing Florida’s now-dead law that banned gays and lesbians from adopting children.
So it’s safe to say that many LGBTs are at least somewhat apprehensive when it comes to Florida’s new leadership. But, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic as well, according to Nadine Smith, Equality Florida’s executive director.
“We are making no assumptions,” Smith says of Scott’s views of LGBT people. “We’re reaching out to the administration. I think he’s made a priority off—and he campaigned on—the promise of creating and retaining jobs in Florida. We believe there’s an opportunity to build bipartisan support there.”
Many raised their eyebrows when Scott signed a narrow non-discrimination executive order that did not extend protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It also neglected to include protections on handicaps and marital status.
Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, told the Huffington Post that the move was disappointing.
“Governor Scott’s limited view of diversity is very discouraging,” Hoch says. “Governor Scott did not even include all of the classifications listed in the Florida Civil Rights Act—let alone sexual orientation and gender identity.”
But the fight to get those protections isn’t over. In fact, it’s just beginning, according to Smith.
“Major employers in our state believe it creates competitiveness to have these protections,” Smith says. “I know there are people close to the governor communicating that message to him as well. We’ll make no assumptions about this administration. We will continue to reach out and see where we are over time. But we want to give this administration the opportunity to do what’s right.”
Equality Florida and other groups are paying close attention to the Competitive Workforce Act, filed by Sen. Nan Rich. If passed, that act would include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity and could influence more companies to relocate to Florida, thus boosting the economy.
“Gov. Scott says his focus is on creating jobs in Florida—this is a step toward ensuring that happens,” Smith says. “The bottom line is this: The Florida’s failure to have these protections negatively impacts its reputation nationally and internationally as a place to live, work or visit. People are waking up to that understanding and it hurts our universities and the ability to draw the best and brightest faculty and students to our state.”
Florida lags behind portions of the country that have such protections, including California and several western states and the northeast seaboard.
“In terms of when Florida is competing for high-tech jobs, the places drawing those companies are places with these protections,” Smith says. “A company’s decision may not wholly depend on whether a state has all-inclusive protections, but it is a large part of their decision-making matrix.”
Smith adds that an inclusive company that protects all of its employees don’t want its workers protected only on the job site but not when they leave the building to go to lunch.
Adopt a legislator
While Florida’s new governor is still feeling out his new position, Smith says that other new legislators also need to be reminded of the needs of the LGBT community. A large freshman class has filled the senate in 2011.
“Tallahassee is far away and it’s easy for our representatives and senators—when they get there—to forget about the promises that got them there,” Smith says. “So we make a trek to Tallahassee often to remind them of those promises and those commitments.”
Equality Florida has started a brand new campaign to ensure that legislators don’t forget about LGBT issues. It’s “Adopt a Legislator” program began this month and encourages volunteers to stay in constant contact with lawmakers. It also means paying attention to the news and keeping tabs on the votes cast by him or her on all issues—but especially LGBT-centric ones.
“Lobbying matters and it has helped make steady progress as we continue to push for statewide change,” Smith says. “We make personal connections and have frank conversations with legislators who we may already have a relationship with—maybe we know their parents or we went to school with their brother. Sometimes those connections makes someone who has been hostile toward us before a little less willing to attack us.”
