ABOVE: The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus’ new name and logo. Photo courtesy the caucus.
The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, formerly the LGBTA Democratic Caucus, unveiled their new name on Oct. 11 for National Coming Out Day.
The caucus has 19 statewide chapters throughout Florida. It represents members of the LGBTQ community to the Florida Democratic Party, which it’s currently doing at the party’s 2019 State Convention in Orlando Oct. 11-13.
The organization deliberately chose National Coming Out Day to unveil the new name, “a time to celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.” They noted that “coming out to family, friends and coworkers is how we’ve changed hearts and minds, and it’s how we’ve moved America closer and closer to full equality.”
Caucus membership voted in favor of the renaming during the organization’s summer conference in Tampa last July. “We added the Q+ to be inclusive of non-binary members of our community and those who identify as queer,” they explained, adding that the plus sign “also encompasses our straight allies who are so integral to advancing our rights.”
With the new name comes new branding. “We modernized our logo and added black and brown stripes to the rainbow-wrapped Florida to represent LGBTQ+ Floridians of color,” the caucus said, “and the fact that we are one, diverse community standing together in the fight for equality.”
In an email, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill reiterated one of the organization’s priorities. “Let’s keep working together to defeat Donald Trump,” he shared, “and elect Democrats up and down the ballot in 2020!”
For more information about the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, visit their website.
