What to Know
- Just last week, Amazon announced Miami is on its short list of cities to build HQ2, a $5 billion second headquarters.
- “No Gay, No Way” is urging Amazon not to give Florida any business since there is no state wide protections for LGBTQ citizens.
- Officials behind the bid promote South Florida has having “the most progressive community in the entire state of Florida."
Amazon is a corporate leader in LGBTQ benefits, protection and advocacy – which is why activists are telling the company to stay out of the Sunshine State.
Just last week, Amazon announced Miami is on its short list of cities to build HQ2, a $5 billion second headquarters that'll create 50,000 high paying jobs and tens of billions of dollars in additional investments.
But a campaign called “No Gay, No Way” is urging Amazon not to give Florida any business since there is no state wide protections for LGBTQ citizens, just like eight other states on Amazon’s list of 20 city finalists.
“We need to send a signal to states that if you want to compete for innovative, the best innovative businesses you can’t have discrimination on your books,” said the campaign’s manager, Connor Gaughan. “You have to protect your citizens.”
But Miami-Dade County, which bid with Broward and Palm Beach, is ahead of the rest of Florida in gay rights. Housing, employment and bathroom discrimination are all banned.
Officials behind the bid promote South Florida has having “the most progressive community in the entire state of Florida” and urge the organization to take up the issue with state officials.
Equality Florida issued a statement saying it is a “shame that our state legislature’s failure to pass these protections statewide may put us at a competitive disadvantage” – while hoping Amazon will choose the South Florida bid and help their efforts.
