HOLDING THE FORT
In times of dire need, LGBT+ people find safe havens. Shon Faye reveals that Fort Lauderdale, in Trump’s stronghold of Florida, is one of these
Shon Faye
Make America Great Again. The Trump-endorsing billboard loomed into my eyeline as I made my way to Southern Comfort, the world’s largest transgender conference, being held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Three months before my trip, the Pulse nightclub massacre in nearby Orlando had shocked the world. A few months after my visit, and the state of Florida helped put Donald Trump in the White House.
It’s clear that the queer community here feels embattled in the face of the right-wing, homophobic politics of division that Trump represents. However, as so often occurs in queer history, in the midst of a culture of hate, small havens arise where LGBT+ people come together. Fort Lauderdale is becoming such a place.
Normally, when tourist boards sell themselves on their desire to become an “LGBT destination” I take little notice. As a trans woman, I’m conscious that “LGBT destination,” often means a resort holiday of interest exclusively to gay men – either promising safety for couples or plenty of clubs and bars.