St Patrick’s Day could be cancelled under ‘extremist’ Florida Pride ban
The bill was designed to stop Pride events in Florida. (Getty)
Florida lawmakers have passed a sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ law so severe that it could risk defunding St Patrick’s Day festivals.
The US state’s Senate voted to pass the controversial ‘Anti-Diversity bill’ following its third and final vote held on Wednesday (4 March).
Tabled by Republican senator Clay Yarborough in January, the legislation forbids Florida counties from funding or promoting events or campaigns related to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Florida’s GOP majority were primarily responsible for the bill’s passage following a bipartisan vote of 25-11, which saw Miami Republican Alexis Calatayud join Democrats in opposing the bill.
The state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, has yet to confirm whether he will approve the bill, which would become enforceable in 2027, it is incredibly likely he will do so give his track record on LGBTQ+ rights.
If signed into law, local governments and officials could face hefty fines for supporting activities, policies, or events that provide “preferential treatment or special benefits” on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
This would primarily target Pride events, civil rights protests, and a number of DEI initiatives for commemorative observances such as Black History Month or Trans Awareness Week.
Equality Florida senior political director Joe Saunders noted that the bill’s provisions are so vague, it would even risk defunding St. Patrick’s Day events.
“Senator Yarborough acknowledged that he has no idea how many existing ordinances, policies, and programs would be repealed by this legislation,” Saunders said. “He also made clear that while engineered carve-outs exist for some communities, he could identify no basis for broadly protecting the LGBTQ+ community.”
Florida anti-LGBTQ+ bills a ‘sledgehammer’, activists say
Over the past few years, Florida has become one of the biggest drivers of statewide anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the US. State lawmakers have proposed at least 12 laws attacking the community since the beginning of 2026 alone.
A day following the Anti-Diversity Bill’s final vote, Florida GOP lawmakers introduced a set of new bills, including an expansion to its infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law which, if passed, would allow private businesses or government workplaces to discriminate against trans people.
Saunders called the new wave of bills a “sledgehammer” that Republicans are using to attack a community that has already faced hardship.
“DeSantis and his allies are willing to sacrifice the critical support and inclusion that strengthen local communities to distract from his administration’s inaction, scandals, and corruption,” he said. “A commitment to equity and inclusion makes us better.”
A spokesperson for GLAAD similarly shamed the DeSantis administration for using “extremist laws” to distract from issues that Americans statistically care more about, such as cost of living or the housing crisis
“Floridians deserve leaders that prioritise their health and wellbeing as well as public safety, jobs and economic opportunities rather than relentless targeting of marginalised people at work, school, and their doctors’ offices,” they added. “A Florida that recognises the freedom of all its residents, no matter who we are or where we come from, contributes to everyone’s success.”
The organisation noted that every single anti-LGBTQ+ bill proposed by Florida lawmakers in 2025 had been defeated, in part due to the work of activists and campaigners.
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