Following the state of Florida’s apparent snub of LGBTQ+ travelers, Gov. Ned Lamont is again seizing the opportunity to woo people to Connecticut.
In response to the sunshine state removing the LGBTQ+ section from its tourism marketing website Visit Florida, Connecticut is launching a digital ad campaign inviting members of Florida’s LGBTQ+ community “to discover what makes Connecticut a welcoming alternative.”
According to a release from The Connecticut Office of Tourism, “The campaign emphasizes that inclusivity is a core value in Connecticut, and everyone is encouraged to explore all the state has to offer.”
Florida is one of the top U.S. destinations for tourism, including for LGBTQ+ people, but led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has enacted discriminatory laws in the past few years. Recent legislation targeting queer people includes the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, restriction of gender-affirming care, a prohibition on allowing transgender people to change their sex on driver’s licenses and a law mandating transgender people use the bathroom corresponding to their assignment at birth.
The increasing political hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community in 2023 led some civil rights groups to issue a travel advisory warning of the dangers of visiting Florida. Around the same time, the NAACP and League of United Latin American Citizens also separately issued travel advisories warning people of color to avoid the state.
Connecticut, however, is seeking to remind people that it is an inclusive destination.
“Our message is clear,” said Anthony Anthony, chief marketing officer for the State of Connecticut. “In Connecticut, everyone is welcome. Unlike Florida which has removed LGBTQ+ resources from its tourism website, we are proud to prominently feature our commitment to inclusivity across all our platforms, including CTvisit.com. Our marketing efforts showcase Connecticut as a beacon of safety, acceptance, and opportunity for all, ensuring our state remains a destination where everyone can truly belong.”
Connecticut has been a leader in protecting LGBTQ+ rights and, according to Lamont, was the first state to join the LGBTQ+ Travel Association.
In defending the state’s inclusivity credentials, Lamont in 2023 enumerated several historic laws enacted to protect gay rights in Connecticut, including the Connecticut Parentage Act, expansion of the state’s hate crime law to ban gay and transgender panic defense and a law restoring state benefits to veterans who were denied an honorable discharge due to sexual orientation or gender identity.
The CT Tourism release touts Connecticut as “one of the most welcoming states in the nation,” citing an array of support resources, several cities’ perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign‘s Municipal Equality Index, recognition for accessibility of gender-affirming care by the Transgender Law Center and recognition by Out Leadership as one of the top climates for safety and inclusion of LGBTQ+ business climate and individuals.
It’s not the first time Lamont has attempted to court residents and businesses of other states. In 2019, Lamont along with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz wrote an open letter to women-owned businesses in Georgia, Alabama and Missouri, which had at the time passed restrictions on abortion, urging them to relocate to Connecticut.
Lamont also pursued Florida business owners in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, saying the ruling has far-reaching implications for residents and business owners.”If you are looking to relocate to a state that supports the rights of women and whose actions and laws are unwavering in support of tolerance and inclusivity, Connecticut is for you,” Lamont and Bysiewicz wrote. “Connecticut has a record of providing equal opportunity to all people and one of the strongest records when it comes to protecting reproductive rights.”
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