LGBTQ+ candidates win in Florida in aftermath of ‘Don’t Say Gay’

Seven openly LGBTQ+ candidates running for state House or Senate seats in Florida have won their primaries, advancing to November’s general election where voters will decide whether to triple LGBTQ+ representation in the state legislature.

Florida’s legislature made national headlines in January when state Republicans introduced the Parental Rights in Education bill — known to its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — to restrict public school teachers’ ability to engage in classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity.