Featured image for “Teachers unions target Florida’s pronoun law”
August 6, 2024

Teachers unions target Florida’s pronoun law

The unions are fighting a law that requires educators to use pronouns that align with their sex assigned at birth.…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 6 stories from Jacksonville’s LGBTQ history”
June 5, 2024

THE JAXSON | 6 stories from Jacksonville’s LGBTQ history

From Timucua two-spirits to bisexual blues musicians to today’s River City Pride, Jacksonville has a storied LGBTQ history.…

Featured image for “Unbridled Mustang: Mandarin grad hungry to change his hometown”
L.J. Valenzuela will graduate from Mandarin High School with a 4.5 grade point average. He will attend Brown University on a full scholarship in the fall. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 30, 2024

Unbridled Mustang: Mandarin grad hungry to change his hometown

L.J. Valenzuela is an activist for LGBTQ rights who loves Jacksonville and plans to return after he earns his degree…

Featured image for “Federal judge blocks restriction on teacher pronoun use”
A judge blocked Florida education officials from enforcing a law requiring a transgender teacher to use pronouns that align with her sex assigned at birth. | WGCU file
April 10, 2024

Federal judge blocks restriction on teacher pronoun use

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said Florida violates a teacher’s First Amendment rights by restricting which pronouns she can…

Featured image for “Settlement reached over Florida’s parental rights law”
LGBTQ+ advocates gather before a Duval School Board meeting. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
March 12, 2024

Settlement reached over Florida’s parental rights law

The state settled a lawsuit over a law that critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” The settlement allows LGBTQ+ references in…

Featured image for “Jacksonville’s trans community fears new driver’s license rule”
Samples of Florida driver's licenses and learner permit. | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
January 31, 2024

Jacksonville’s trans community fears new driver’s license rule

Florida is mandating that the gender listed on a driver’s license must match a person’s sex at birth.…

Featured image for “House moves toward ban on pride flags at public buildings”
January 18, 2024

House moves toward ban on pride flags at public buildings

Legislation would prevent the display of flags that represent “a political viewpoint,” including race, sexual orientation and political ideology.…

Featured image for “LGBTQ group fights bills from Jacksonville rep”
State Rep. Dean Black of Jacksonville.
January 17, 2024

LGBTQ group fights bills from Jacksonville rep

Equality Florida decried what it calls “an alarming slate” of bills, including proposals from Republican Rep. Dean Black.…

Featured image for “St. Johns County mom fights transgender treatment ban”
Parents of transgender youth and legal groups sued to block the state's ban on doctors prescribing gender-affirming treatment to minors. | Daylina Miller, WUSF
December 13, 2023

St. Johns County mom fights transgender treatment ban

A trial began Wednesday over Florida’s restrictions on such things as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender people.…

Featured image for “Alachua school district returns LGBTQ book to shelves”
Eastside High School is in the Alachua County School District in Gainesville. | Fresh Take Florida
December 1, 2023

Alachua school district returns LGBTQ book to shelves

The school district determined that a complaint about the book came from a woman who did not live in the…

Featured image for “Bathroom rules now apply to private schools in Florida”
October 19, 2023

Bathroom rules now apply to private schools in Florida

Students and faculty at private colleges and universities will only be allowed to use facilities that align with the sex…

Featured image for “JASMYN’s CEO retires after nearly 30 years”
Cindy Watson is retiring at JASMYN.
October 17, 2023

JASMYN’s CEO retires after nearly 30 years

Cindy Watson departs an organization she helped found to help Northeast Florida’s younger LGBTQ+ residents.…

Featured image for “ARTS PICKS | Oct. 6-8”
October 5, 2023

ARTS PICKS | Oct. 6-8

Two art shows and Jacksonville’s annual LGBTQ pride festival are this weekend’s Arts Picks.…

Featured image for “Colleges ordered to restrict restrooms to ‘sex at birth’”
August 24, 2023

Colleges ordered to restrict restrooms to ‘sex at birth’

Florida public colleges will be required to have separate facilities “based on biological sex at birth.”…

Featured image for “Duval Schools reverses trans restroom policy, no longer discourages ‘outing’ students in new LGBTQ+ support guide ”
The former guide (left) was replaced with new guidance on the district's website.
April 18, 2023

Duval Schools reverses trans restroom policy, no longer discourages ‘outing’ students in new LGBTQ+ support guide 

Students in Duval County Public Schools now must use restrooms and lockers in line with their sex assigned at birth…

Featured image for “OPINION | Federal case could threaten local LGBT protections”
March 19, 2023

OPINION | Federal case could threaten local LGBT protections

A Catholic bookstore’s suit against Jacksonville’s LGBTQ protections will cast a shadow over the mayoral campaign.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning”
Parents rallied ahead of a December school board meeting over the district's months long review of books from the Essential Voices classroom library collection.
March 8, 2023

Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning

The supervisor’s departure comes as Duval Schools has received national scrutiny for its book review process.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Remembering David, Jacksonville’s trailblazing gay magazine”
Photo: Houston LGBT History
June 28, 2022

OPINION | Remembering David, Jacksonville’s trailblazing gay magazine

From 1970 to 1974, Jacksonville was the headquarters of the first magazine to serve Florida’s gay community. In honor of…

Featured image for “What Duval Schools is cutting from its LGBTQ+ Support Guide”
District staff presenting a plan for how Duval Schools will comply with Florida's critic-dubbed "Don't Say Gay" law to the school board Tuesday.
May 17, 2022

What Duval Schools is cutting from its LGBTQ+ Support Guide

In response to Florida’s new, critic-dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” law, Duval County Public Schools plans to slash the district’s decade-old…

Featured image for “‘It all boils down to one paragraph.’ Duval Schools could change its LGBTQ support guide Tuesday”
The 37-page document under review outlines how teachers can ensure LGBTQ students' safety on school campuses.
May 16, 2022

‘It all boils down to one paragraph.’ Duval Schools could change its LGBTQ support guide Tuesday

The Duval County School Board is set to meet Tuesday morning to discuss an update to its LGBTQ support guide,…