Since 2022, an unprecedented amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has been proposed and passed in the US, especially Florida. Such anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, messaging, and politics resonate deeply in Florida because of its history of anti-queer initiatives such as the Johns Committee and Anita Bryant’s Save Our Children campaign. The historical and current waves of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash both employ messaging concerning the protection of children despite research emphasizing the profound negative impact of such laws on LGBTQ+ youth.

This project centers the voices of young LGBTQ+ adults, rejecting anti-LGBTQ+ messaging that downplays autonomy. Grounded in social movement research and based on 13 in-depth active interviews with LGBTQ+ activists in four major Florida urban areas, the resulting honors thesis employs qualitative analysis to examine how Florida LGBTQ+ young adults have responded to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.