Excellent article, explaining the importance of the LBGTQ community in Miami Beach. I was a visiting nurse on the beach in the 1980’s and used to visit patients in those old hotels. Have been down to the beach since then and have seen the marvelous changes done. Kudos to the city of Miami Beach for staying true to their residents
Jonathan, Exceptional work and writing on the history of the LGBTQ community's emergence and struggles. It appears those that would look to subvert the rights of these people are professed Christians. They evidently do not practice what they preach. The things that God bestowed on man were his uniqueness and his free will, to deny the existence of these is to deny the existence of God. Have these people broken any laws? No? Then live and let live.
Thank you for this story and history. We don't often see DeSantis defeated at any level in Florida. The sidewalk looks great, maybe even better than the crosswalk.
Jonathan - Such a beautiful story of resilience, in print and video. Thanks for detailing the resistance. It is a reflection on what is being done to the USA as a whole. Stamp out science, reason, intelligence, common sense, beauty even, to stay in power. We will ALL need to rise up like these smart and connected communities. FL, we ALL, deserves better. Let’s go 🔵. LOVE this story SO MUCH!!! 💜
Thanks for this breath of fresh air, Jonathan. As a Floridian from the west coast, it's good to hear about people coming together for good against our fearmongering politicians.
Of late, I keep thinking of Joe Hill's farewell words to Bill Haywood: ""Goodbye, Bill. I die like a true blue rebel. Don't waste any time mourning. Organize!" and of Peter's instruction: "Do what is right and do not give way to fear".
Lately these words come to mind every time I see descriptions of people sobbing and trembling at the appalling acts of the rising authoritarian movement, or read comments in which people describe their fear, their sense of dread, or declare variations on a theme of "we're so effed, people!"
I feel some sympathy, sure: I even share the dread. But human life has been challenging and often quite dreadful for most of human history, and the only reason we've made any progress at all is because some people, refusing to give way to fear, don't mourn but organize.
Three cheers--a thousand cheers---for these courageous people. They allow me to believe that this really is the home of the brave.
As we observe Pride Month, I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to the tenacity of the LGBTQ community and supportive allies than by shining a spotlight on this uplifting South Beach story. What started out as a vicious, petty affront by the neanderthal MAGAt governor's removal of the crosswalk evolved into the phoenix rising from the ashes with an even more prominent and beautiful thing to behold and celebrate.
As the chant of solidarity and strength reminds us: The people united will never be defeated.
Thank you, Jonathan, for sharing this inspiring story with all of us.
Although I spent my growing up years in northeastern Ohio, my grandparents and parents moved to Florida shortly after I, too, left Ohio. It's my second home. My family line has had many musicians, singers, and actors my family, and my parents became involved in Delray Community Theater in Delray, FL, in the mid-70s. My mother had always been supportive of non-binary people, but it took him (he just turned 102 this week) longer to accept. He told me then, "I used to think it was a choice, but after I got to be friends and colleagues with the people around me in the theater, I saw how tough it was for them to even survive or be treated with respect. Who would make that choice when others made it so hard on them? It is who they are. It isn't a choice." By the way, in my studies of gifted people, the percentage of people who are nonbinary in my subject groups is somewhere between 11 and 13%. See less
I always figured being gay or straight was like being right handed or left handed , there might be some people out there old enough to remember when they used to try to beat lefthandedness out of kids both at home and school . I had an uncle who was abused that way
I’m old enough to remember when DeSantis’ party used to be for free markets and say government decisions should be made at the most local level. Now they’re reactionary activists who want to impose their twisted, hypocritical belief systems on the rest of us.
Excellent in-depth article. If only the spineless GOP could learn the lesson of refusing to be bullied.
The Bird Cage is a wonderful movie.
Excellent article, explaining the importance of the LBGTQ community in Miami Beach. I was a visiting nurse on the beach in the 1980’s and used to visit patients in those old hotels. Have been down to the beach since then and have seen the marvelous changes done. Kudos to the city of Miami Beach for staying true to their residents
Jonathan, Exceptional work and writing on the history of the LGBTQ community's emergence and struggles. It appears those that would look to subvert the rights of these people are professed Christians. They evidently do not practice what they preach. The things that God bestowed on man were his uniqueness and his free will, to deny the existence of these is to deny the existence of God. Have these people broken any laws? No? Then live and let live.
Thank you for this story and history. We don't often see DeSantis defeated at any level in Florida. The sidewalk looks great, maybe even better than the crosswalk.
Thanks, Jonathan.
My grandmother lived in Miami Beach, and my family vacationed down there, in the 1960s, but I was unaware of the LGBTQ history.
Jonathan - Such a beautiful story of resilience, in print and video. Thanks for detailing the resistance. It is a reflection on what is being done to the USA as a whole. Stamp out science, reason, intelligence, common sense, beauty even, to stay in power. We will ALL need to rise up like these smart and connected communities. FL, we ALL, deserves better. Let’s go 🔵. LOVE this story SO MUCH!!! 💜
Thanks for this breath of fresh air, Jonathan. As a Floridian from the west coast, it's good to hear about people coming together for good against our fearmongering politicians.
Of late, I keep thinking of Joe Hill's farewell words to Bill Haywood: ""Goodbye, Bill. I die like a true blue rebel. Don't waste any time mourning. Organize!" and of Peter's instruction: "Do what is right and do not give way to fear".
Lately these words come to mind every time I see descriptions of people sobbing and trembling at the appalling acts of the rising authoritarian movement, or read comments in which people describe their fear, their sense of dread, or declare variations on a theme of "we're so effed, people!"
I feel some sympathy, sure: I even share the dread. But human life has been challenging and often quite dreadful for most of human history, and the only reason we've made any progress at all is because some people, refusing to give way to fear, don't mourn but organize.
Three cheers--a thousand cheers---for these courageous people. They allow me to believe that this really is the home of the brave.
Thank you for this story Jonathan! I am so glad the city was able to fight back!
Thank you for a positive story, because those are hard to find these days. It’s also nice to see it in one of the more MAGA states.
As we observe Pride Month, I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to the tenacity of the LGBTQ community and supportive allies than by shining a spotlight on this uplifting South Beach story. What started out as a vicious, petty affront by the neanderthal MAGAt governor's removal of the crosswalk evolved into the phoenix rising from the ashes with an even more prominent and beautiful thing to behold and celebrate.
As the chant of solidarity and strength reminds us: The people united will never be defeated.
Thank you, Jonathan, for sharing this inspiring story with all of us.
What a perfect and eloquent statement. Thanks for sharing. 💜
DeSantis only cares about power. He and his cronies in the Republican party do not care who they hurt or even get killed in the process. Truly evil.
I don't know man , sometimes I think those supposedly manly men doth protesteth too much .
Although I spent my growing up years in northeastern Ohio, my grandparents and parents moved to Florida shortly after I, too, left Ohio. It's my second home. My family line has had many musicians, singers, and actors my family, and my parents became involved in Delray Community Theater in Delray, FL, in the mid-70s. My mother had always been supportive of non-binary people, but it took him (he just turned 102 this week) longer to accept. He told me then, "I used to think it was a choice, but after I got to be friends and colleagues with the people around me in the theater, I saw how tough it was for them to even survive or be treated with respect. Who would make that choice when others made it so hard on them? It is who they are. It isn't a choice." By the way, in my studies of gifted people, the percentage of people who are nonbinary in my subject groups is somewhere between 11 and 13%. See less
I always figured being gay or straight was like being right handed or left handed , there might be some people out there old enough to remember when they used to try to beat lefthandedness out of kids both at home and school . I had an uncle who was abused that way
I’m old enough to remember when DeSantis’ party used to be for free markets and say government decisions should be made at the most local level. Now they’re reactionary activists who want to impose their twisted, hypocritical belief systems on the rest of us.
Thank you so much for this detailed story. Now I’m homesick for Miami and missing Miami Beach. 🌈🌈❤️🌈