Here is a little history lesson on GLBT politics in Tampa. Things are changing to the betterment in 2014.

    It’s another hot summer day in June 2005 in Tampa Bay and a great start to “Gay Pride Month’  for the GLBT community. This was the 3rd St Pete Pride Festival in St. Petersburg. At a Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners meeting in Tampa, a day that echoed government discrimination and hatred was heard across the waters and I mean oceans! This is the day that Hillsborough County Commissioner ronda storms started an intolerance crusade. Simply put ‘ high in the tush’, don’t give any recognition to any resident homosexuals living in Hillsborough County, but do collect the taxes!

    In simple terms it went down like this. In the Hillsborough County Commissioners County chambers.

    Yes, there was a fight and the many demonstrations downtown Tampa by local & national GLBT citizens & organizations along side were allies. All for of repeals of the sickening discriminatory legislation of basic community rights. All efforts were strictly ignored and left on deaf ears. A Boycott of Hillsborough County was started by numerous national out of state organizations for GLBT visitors and groups wanting to hold conventions in Hillsborough County, Tampa, Our county!

    Wait, isn’t this the county of which we reside? Are the elected officials simpletons? Real true life voter picked white coated bigots?

    A telephone message came from Monroe County Mayor and Key West Mayor to come to Key West for a welcoming, “Pride in Exile Festival.”  Jay Allar, Brian Longstreth, Mark Bias & myself helped stimulate the trip & events. It was Exile Fest in the Keys and turned out to be very successful. Other exiled statewide GLBT groups not having or have a  recognized “Gay Pride” were also welcomed to participate but Hillsborough County was the principle center of recognition. 1000’s joyously rallied and were a major part of the special awarded parade festival.

    National press & media coverage emerged. Who wouldn’t like going to do a big story in the Keys? The city had the many chartered buses greeted at Monroe County line by welcoming police escorts traveling to Key West’s downtown party famed Duval Street. On the forbidden to any bus street traffic street, we traveled to were both mayors, county & city councils greeted the caravan busloads of 500 Exilers as we all departed the buses. A huge Key West “Exile Parade” was held in our honor with many national celebrities that flew in for the Exile event, including local celebrity Muriel Hemmingway walking side by side..

    Years had passed and still no policy change until the County Commishs re- addressed the bigoted Hillsborough policy in chamber in 2013 thanks to GaYBOR District and Commissioner Kevin Beckner.

    Now as a community we work together and have in March 28th, 2015 a rebirth and celebration of another great Tampa Gay Pride.

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Summed up by excerpts from Wikepedia

    In June 2005, some library patrons complained about a book display at the West Gate Regional Library in Town ‘n’ Country  honoring June, which is Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Storms heard about the complaints and decided to put to a vote to ban such book displays in county libraries. On June 15, however, she moved for the Commission to “adopt a policy that Hillsborough County government abstain from acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay pride recognition and events, little g, little p.” In effect, by adding the footnote “little g, little p,” the county would be abstaining from acknowledging, promoting or participating in any recognition or events for gay pride at any time, not just during “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month,” with “big G and big P.”

The vote was passed 5-1, with Commissioner Ken Hagan out of the room during the vote, and Kathy Castor dissenting, saying “I think it’s inappropriate for government to promote discrimination.” Storms then asked that an addendum be placed upon the bill, that it cannot be repealed without a super majority vote of at least 5-2, and a public hearing. This time Hagan joined the vote and the addendum was passed 6-1, with Castor again being the only dissent. In the public hearing portion of the meeting, which occurred before the meeting, many people spoke out against the removal of book displays, not knowing of the impending vote. The policy was repealed by the Commission on June 5, 2013, with a 7-0 vote. ”

Reverend Phyllis Hunt, the pastor at the local Metropolitan Community Church, said, “I’m stunned, disappointed and shocked that there was zero conversation about the vote.”

In October 2005, Kathy Castor proposed a statute which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace in Hillsborough County, in both the public and private sectors. The statute, which was once law in Tampa, was repealed in 1995 and rejected in 2000. The commissioners, led by Storms, voted 5-2 to reject Castor’s statute. Castor and Thomas Scott were the dissenters. Storms then asked for a motion to raise the number of votes needed from commissioners to place the issue on direct referendum to county voters from four commissioners to five.

In December 2005, Joe Redner, who owns the nationally-known strip club Mons Venus, filed a lawsuit against every Commission member except for Castor, alleging discrimination as a result of the June 15 vote. At the same time, Redner, who people had believed was straight, came out on a WFLA-AM morning show broadcast.Redner and Storms had fought before, most recently in November 2005 over a donation Redner had made to needy children. Storms had been a longtime foe of Redner, as she has tried to curtail Redner’s business on many occasions, due to his occupation, in Storms’ words, as the “purveyor and seller of female flesh.”