Monday, June 22, 2009

Monday Florida Gay Rights History Blogging



In June of 2005, a Gay Pride Month display at the West Gate Regional Library upset the Hillsborough County Commission. They reacted by enacting this policy "Hillsborough County Government abstains from acknowledging, promoting, and participating in gay pride recognition and events." The library display was a small poster that listed books by gay authors including Tennessee Williams. The policy shocked the gay community and caused many gays to move to more gay-friendly Pinellas County across Tampa Bay. In addition, a boycott was enacted that hurt the local economy. Tampa is within Hillsborough County and the Mayor of that City, Pam Iorio, came out strongly against the resolution and made it clear that Tampa did not support Hillsborough's resolution. Nevertheless, gay pride events have moved largely to St. Petersburg in Pinellas County.

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