Governor DeSantis’s policies targeting the LGBTQ community, restricting academic freedom, and banning diversity programs have negatively impacted Florida’s economy. Several organizations have canceled conventions and events in Orlando due to concerns over DeSantis’s “anti-woke” agenda, resulting in an estimated $20 million loss in revenue for the state. Despite this, DeSantis’s spokesperson dismissed the economic impact as a “media-driven stunt.” However, boycotts in the past have caused enough economic pain to lead to policy changes, so organizations avoiding Florida are doing the right thing by not spending money there while these policies remain in place.

      • As a Leftist, who very much looks like a Leftist, I am currently visiting Florida’s panhandle and I’m having a very great time. It’s very much like the Deep South. People are very friendly. I see plenty of people of color too. It’s not like genocide is raging and people are being hunted down en masse, not that I support DeSantis nor do I want to normalize him and I do think we are inevitably heading towards fascism in the US.

        On the other hand, I did go to a restaurant and sat next to a table with a Neo-Nazi couple with swastika tattoos but we left our respective parties alone.

        •  Fish [Indiana]   ( @Fish@midwest.social ) 
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          1 year ago

          I have no doubt that the majority of Floridians will be civil, even around leftists and LGBTQ+ people. However, much of the recent legislation in Florida has been straight-up fascist. Also, Florida is seeing an influx of radical conservatives moving there, along with a lot of left-leaning and LGBTQ+ people leaving. That’s what I mean when I say that “it’s getting there”.

          • No disagreements about any of that.

            I was just adding to the chain of comments so I replied to you but I guess I was mostly addressing the Aussie’s concerns.