NEW YORK (AP) – New York is launching a digital billboard campaign to persuade Florida residents who are unhappy with their state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law to turn big apples, Mayor Eric Adams said on Monday.
Billboards supporting LGBTQ visibility will appear in five major Florida markets within eight weeks Monday, Democrat Adams said.
“This is the city of Stonewall. “This is a city where we are proud to talk about how you can live in a comfortable environment and not be harassed, not abused, not just as adults, but as young people,” Adams said at a news conference.
The announcement comes a week after Florida Governor Ron Desantis signed a bill banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in preschool through the third grade.
Landing and his fellow Republicans said the new law affirms the right of parents, not teachers, to decide when children learn about sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBTQ groups condemned the law, calling it “don’t say gay.” Supporters say a law that allows parents to sue school districts for non -compliance is degrading LGBTQ children and families.
A request for comment was sent to a DeSantis spokesperson.
Adams called the Florida law “a deliberate attack on the LGBTQ +population.”
The message on the billboards read: “People in New York say a lot of funny things. “Don’t say gay isn’t one of them” at “Come to town where you can say whatever you want.” There will also be social media announcements with the same messages, city officials said.
Although known as an advocate of LGBTQ rights during his political career, including six years in the New York State Senate, Adams became angry with LGBTQ activists earlier this year when he nominated three men to hold homophobic positions in areas in its administration.
“It’s not a company that will keep quiet,” Adams said when asked to hire on Monday. “If they see something they don’t like, they’ll let you know.”
He added: “We can do everything, but we are not going to go on days when we have publicly demonized the group and that is what is happening now. So they have expressed their concern about the hires we have received and we will move forward” .
In recent years, there has been more migration to New York State than to Florida. In the last three years of 2010, an average of more than 60,000 New Yorkers moved to Florida each year. Conversely, in the same period, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, fewer than 24,000 Florida residents move to New York State each year.
Source: Huffpost
