June is widely recognised as Pride Month, a significant time for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies worldwide. The origins of Pride Month can be traced back to the Stonewall Riots that occurred in June 1969 in New York City. Since then, Pride Month has grown into a global movement with parades, marches, festivals, and various events taking place in major cities around the world. Additionally, it signifies that the yearly “Gay Days” at Walt Disney World have started for both LGBTQ+ community members and theme park enthusiasts. However, the festivities come amid a legal battle in Florida.
Gay Days Celebration At Disney, Florida
This weekend, tens of thousands of LGBTQ individuals will congregate in central Florida for the long-running Gay Days celebration to ride attractions at theme parks, interact with costumed entertainers, dance at all-night parties, and relax poolside at hotels.
Even though Florida lawmakers have championed a slew of anti-LGBTQ laws, Gay Days organisers want tourists from all over the world to come to one of Florida’s largest gay and lesbian celebrations. According to them, a sizable attendance will demonstrate that LGBTQ people are still present in Florida, which is consistently one of the states that attract the most visitors.
Tens of thousands of people are anticipated to join in Orlando this weekend to celebrate “Gay Days,” an annual ritual that ushers in Pride Month. The event continues despite recent advice from civil rights organisations to avoid the state owing to anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
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Celebration Of Gay Days Have Been Ongoing For Years
Despite Florida Crackdown on LGBTQ Rights and Disney, Many Are Still Determined to Enjoy Gay Days @ILoveGayOrlando @ILoveGayPolitic – We can “avoid Florida right now” or “embrace it and be here and show up as part of the LGBTQ+ community,” @mattskalhttps://t.co/kTJdZakds1 pic.twitter.com/uNTCecVd2p
— #ILoveGay Florida ☀️ (@ILoveGayFlorida) June 3, 2023
The event is a chance to celebrate being oneself and is a tradition for many. The recent regulations imposed by the Florida government, which have been criticised as hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, have presented their own set of difficulties for this year’s event.
The LGBTQ+ community claims that Florida’s governor has been enacting laws that are pushing people away and fostering a hostile environment. But according to Joseph Clark, the CEO of Gay Days, now is not the time to flee but rather to unite.
Gay Days is not simply a celebration for many people; it is also a tradition, a time to be visible, and a chance to celebrate being who you are. The long-running custom, which began in 1991, has attracted visitors from all around the world. Thousands of people gather at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom wearing red shirts. Some people have been coming for years.
Will you be heading to Gay Days in Florida?
Cover image credits: Canva