Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Photo by Gage Skidmore, from Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
ORLANDO | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a total of $900,000 from the 2021 state budget June 2 that was intended to support those impacted by the Pulse tragedy as well as fund transitional housing for LGBTQ homeless youth.
The budget allocated $150,000 to the LGBT+ Center Orlando for its Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC), which serves and supports the immediate family members of the 49 individuals taken in the Pulse tragedy and the survivors. The Center incorporated OUAC under its purview of existing services last October. The funds were specifically for counseling and case management services for victims affected by the Pulse tragedy.
A total of $750,000 had also been allocated in the budget for Zebra Coalition’s youth housing project which provides temporary housing for LGBTQ youth, ages 18-24, for up to six months.
The funds were added to the 2021 state budget by State Sen. Linda Stewart earlier this year.
“I am happy to have the opportunity to assist so many wonderful organizations by advocating for these funds that will provide a direct and positive impact in our community,” Stewart said in a statement April 27. “By funding these projects, we’ll help serve many of our most vulnerable populations. Providing housing and health services to our LGBTQ+ community, counseling for human trafficking victims, and expanding access to nutritious foods are just a few of the great impacts these dollars will have in our community.”
DeSantis’ vetoing of the nearly $1 million worth of funds for LGBTQ projects comes on the second day of LGBTQ Pride Month and one day after he signed into law the anti-LGBTQ “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” banning transgender girls from playing sports that align with their gender identity.
Several state political leaders took to social media to express outrage over DeSantis using the first two days of LGBTQ Pride Month to publicize his support for anti-LGBTQ policies.
Yesterday @GovRonDeSantis signed into law a bill attacking trans-kids. Now on the 2nd day of #Pride month he VETOES two #LGBTQ programs, one for homeless youth and the other for Pulse survivors’ mental health.
He’s a homophobic & transphobic man who should not be in office.
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) June 2, 2021
and his political ambitions over the wide variety of voices asking him to veto this hateful bill. While I am discouraged that this bill is now law, this does not hinder my commitment to fight for an equitable Florida that embraces everyone and celebrates them for who they are 2/2
— Rep. Michele K. Rayner-Goolsby (@RepMKRG) June 1, 2021
On the first day of #Pride2021 @GovRonDeSantis signs the transgender athletic bill. Totally insensitive and insulting to the LGBTQ.
— Shevrin “Shev” Jones (@ShevrinJones) June 1, 2021
Pulse survivor and LGBTQ activist Brandon Wolf shared a photo of him and DeSantis at Pulse in 2019 on Twitter, writing “Here’s @GovRonDeSantis in 2019, standing on hallowed ground, promising me that he would always support those of us impacted by the Pulse nightclub shooting. Today, he vetoed mental health services for us. I will never forget.”
Here’s @GovRonDeSantis in 2019, standing on hallowed ground, promising me that he would always support those of us impacted by the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Today, he vetoed mental health services for us. I will never forget. pic.twitter.com/huW8NJbVlP
— Brandon Wolf (@bjoewolf) June 2, 2021
