Miami, Mar 4 (EFE).- The commissioner of the city of Wilton Manors, Chris Caputo, showed his rejection of the bill underway through the Florida Legislature, controlled by the Republican Party, which would prohibit, if approved, the LGBT Pride flag on public buildings in that state in the southeastern United States.
Caputo said this Saturday in statements collected by the Local 10 television network that the Florida House Bill 10-11 aims to restrict flags representing the LGBT community from flying in government buildings.
He stressed that he is proud that the LGBT flag flies at Wilton Manors City Hall, north of the city of Fort Lauderdale.
“It tells me that it is a safe space,” Caputo said regarding the presence of the flag in the municipality, in addition to ensuring that it is a sign that implies that he and people from the LGBT community “are welcome.”
The bill would also limit other flags, since, if approved, only the flags of the United States, the state and the Tribute to the Firefighter may be flown on Florida government property.
Caputo stressed that legislative initiatives like these “are really scary.”
The bill introduced by Florida Republican Representative David Borrero, of Miami-Dade County, establishes that “no other flag -of those officially allowed- may be exposed to public view for display by a government agency or unit of local government”.
“America was founded on diversity and free speech, not on everyone being the same and feeling the same,” Caputo stressed.
He warned that if the bill is approved and enters into force, on July 1, what he understands as more discriminatory measures once morest the LGBT community may come later.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Caputo said, following noting that “it is part of a growing number of attacks on all fronts once morest the LGBT community.”
The government headed by De Santis filed a lawsuit last February that seeks to revoke the alcoholic beverages license of a foundation in Orlando (Florida) that in December 2022 presented a Christmas show of “drag queens” in its theater, stating that minors were present.
De Santis, who signed a controversial law last year that prohibits students from speaking regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, had already filed a lawsuit once morest a Miami drag venue over the same circumstances.
DeSantis, who won the midterm elections once more months ago as governor of Florida, is expected to present his candidacy to compete in the primaries for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2024.
