Key West, Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors are among several Florida cities that have long been top U.S. destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists. So it came as a surprise this week when travelers learned that Florida’s tourism marketing agency quietly removed the “LGBTQ Travel” section from its website sometime in the past few months. Business owners who cater to Florida’s LGBTQ+ tourists said Wednesday that it was the latest attempt by officials in the state to erase the LGBTQ+ community. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis previously championed legislation to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, and supported a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
