We naturally touched on the combustible state of Florida politics, which currently seems set on destroying our community and how it has changed… sadly, for the worse. The Stonewall Library and Archives, which today houses more than 28,000 volumes and 2,700 linear feet, or 6 million pages, of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) history, started from humble beginnings: in 1973, Mark Neil Silber, then a 17-year-old in Hollywood, Florida, established the Stonewall Library using books and publications he had collected, naming the repository after the Stonewall Inn riots of 1969.
In those days, Florida was considered a Democratic Blue State; then it shifted to a swing state; now the media and the politicians call it a red state. At the last General Election, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis ran for President against the Orange Man. He lost, but since then has positioned his politics very firmly on the right, taking out both his wrath and his smug righteousness on the whole LGBTQA+ community …… especially the ‘T’ portion.
The latest bad news that hit earlier today is not directly from DeSantis, but it has his handwriting all over it. Only yesterday, Kesten published a powerful warning to elected officials about the consequences of Florida’s anti-DEI legislation. He called for local governments to stop withholding support from cultural institutions serving marginalized communities and to challenge the discriminatory laws rather than enforce them without question.
Hours later, Broward County notified Stonewall that it had rejected its FY27 operating grant application.
The timing is extraordinary. But the county’s explanation is equally striking. Broward expressly states that the decision did not reflect the quality or impact of Stonewall’s work. Instead, it cited unspecified program requirements, funding considerations, and administrative and policy requirements, without clearly identifying why the museum was being denied funding.
From January 2014 through October 2026, Broward County provided Stonewall with $1,031,466 in funding. Now, after more than a decade of substantial financial support, the county has rejected Stonewall’s FY27 operating grant application without identifying any specific reasons for its decision.
This is not an isolated development. Across Florida and the nation, cultural institutions representing LGBTQ+ communities, racial and ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized populations are confronting the loss of government and other support. Even local officials who oppose these restrictions have publicly acknowledged that they are implementing them to avoid state intervention.
The implications are chilling: Government agencies recognize the value of an institution’s work while withdrawing the public funding that helps sustain it. And organizations dedicated to preserving American history and culture are being destroyed, not because their work has diminished, but because of a political campaign against the communities they represent.
Stonewall’s situation raises a larger question: What happens when governments tasked with serving all citizens withdraw support from the institutions preserving history and culture, what then?
Here is Robert Keston’s statement in full: –
We Are Citizens First
Members of the American Military, government officials, and others swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and in so doing are expected, even in times of war, to disobey commands that are unconstitutional. We are expected to call out laws that do not reflect the spirit and letter of our Constitution and challenge them all the way to the Supreme Court if need be.
Our community, the LGBTQ+ community, has done that by refusing to follow rules and laws that deny us equal rights, we have done that by standing with other minority and marginalized communities in their struggle for justice and equality and by doing this, by being good Americans, we have pushed for and succeeded in gaining human and civil rights all citizens are entitled to.
We are, however, constantly reminded that many in our community and the broader community feel threatened by those in power, those who pass and uphold unconstitutional laws and rules, and so they administer and enforce those laws. From the schools to the legislatures of municipalities officials will remind us that they must “follow the law”, even when they feel it is wrong. There are few things more un-American than that.
When our soldiers follow bad orders, we expect them to be held accountable. When officials “take the law into their own hands,” we demand they be held accountable, so why when state or federal legislators pass unconstitutional legislation or enact rules that violate that spirit do officials ask us to deny our obligations as citizens to abide by the Constitution and accept these violations?
Why are county and local governments enforcing laws that have not gone into effect and laws that will most certainly be challenged in the courts and laws that enforce prejudice, double standards and division? Why do they do so, even before the law is the law?
The history of this nation has long been to extend and expand personal freedom and liberty, increase access to civil and human rights, to expand and not limit access to justice equally to all Americans. It has not been an easy struggle and harder for some than others but in the end, we have come to understand it as the American way and certainly the intent of our imperfect Founders.
As this calendar year comes to an end and before the draconian “Anti-DEI” legislation goes into effect, we call upon every level of government to reinstate funding to every group and organization whose work and quality has earned support from the governments who are required (justly) by law to serve and meet the needs of the people.
We call on these officials to do their job as instructed by The Constitution that starts with, “We the People” and reminds us that they are in service to those very people to ensure life, liberty and protect the inalienable rights of all Americans. Distribute those funds and challenge the state in court, do not inflict devastating pain and suffering on people and organizations who have long served the communities you are sworn by oath to serve faithfully. We want to work with you; we want to know you are on the side of the people, justice and equality for all. We voted for you because we believe you are.
The latest bad news that hit earlier today is not directly from DeSantis, but it has his handwriting all over it. Only yesterday, Kesten published a powerful warning to elected officials about the consequences of Florida’s anti-DEI legislation. He called for local governments to stop withholding support from cultural institutions serving marginalized communities and to challenge the discriminatory laws rather than enforce them without question.
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