LAKE WORTH, Fla. — City commissioners at Lake Worth Beach formally declared the city to be a sanctuary for LGBTQ+ people by a unanimous vote. This makes the city the first in the state to formally declare itself a sanctuary city.
According to reporting from WPTV, the decision was the result of concerns expressed by parents, teachers, and students over laws that had passed targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Florida.
Although the move is largely symbolic, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, which introduced the resolution to the city council in the first place, told WPTV it was still a necessary step to take.
"We've had incidents here in Lake Worth Beach and to have safe spaces means a lot for people," Rand Hoch, founder and president of the council, said. "If we can't do anything about the people up in Tallahassee, at least we can do it here in our own backyard."
Hoch added that laws recently passed in Florida, including what critics dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law and efforts to ban drag shows and gender-affirming care for transgender people, make LGBTQ+ people feel unwanted in Florida and ultimately lose the town a lot of business.
The Palm Beach Post reports that Lake Worth Beach is a very LGBTQ+ friendly town. It hosts an annual pride parade, features local businesses that are considered safe spaces for LGBTQ+ residents, and is home to the Compass Community Center, a place that offers services, events and support groups for LGBTQ+ people and those impacted by HIV and AIDS.
A news release from the Palm Beach Human Rights Council says residents in Tallahassee are pushing for a similar formal declaration for the city.
