Posted on 09/17/2024 6:36:46 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The nonprofit group Men Having Babies has held its annual conference in the Miami area since 2018.
An organization that helps gay men become fathers through surrogacy is rethinking its future in Florida after receiving a flood of anti-LGBTQ hate.
Back in 2017, the international nonprofit Men Having Babies (MHB) chose the Fort Lauderdale area to host one of its eight international gay parenting conferences. The group has since held six of its annual conferences in the state.
But while gearing up for its annual Florida Surrogacy Conference & Expo, scheduled for October 4–5 at the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors, MHB says it received a deluge of hateful messages on its social media — prompting it to consider pulling its event from the state for good.
Screenshots shared with New Times show dozens of comments under a Facebook post that advertised the two-day conference and depicted a gay couple with their son, including "U can all die," "No momma, no family!!!" and "Someone call child services," as well as others equating LGBTQ people to "groomers" and "pedophiles."
"We've heard our share of hate speech and intolerance," MHB executive director Poole-Dayan tells New Times. "It's just we feel and have multiple indications that there's a chilling effect."
Adds Poole-Dayan, "We see it in the reduction in registration numbers. We see it in the fact that fewer people from outside of the state are choosing to come to Florida for this. Even people in Florida are wondering whether there's a future for them here if they start a family, and that's what concerns us most.
While Miami and South Florida were once considered a haven for the gay community, that changed with the Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis administration's legislative crusade against LGBTQ people, including the state's passage of bills such as the Parental Rights in Education law, AKA "Don't Say Gay" bill, as well as its recent quiet removal of pages dedicated to LGBTQ travel from the official state travel site.
Last year, the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy organization and several civil rights groups issued a travel advisory about Florida that warned policies championed by DeSantis and state lawmakers are "openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals."
Poole-Dayan says people urged MHB to boycott Florida, but the group refused. South Florida father Joey Carr and his son, Zach. South Florida father Joey Carr and his son Zach Men Having Babies (MHB) photo
"It didn't make sense for us to abandon prospective gay parents in Florida at the worst of times," he explains. Related Matteo Lane's Viral Comedy Success Isn't a Joke
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Now, however, the nonprofit is rethinking its place in Florida — particularly after seeing a dip in registration numbers for the upcoming Fort Lauderdale conference, Poole-Dayan says.
He says the conference saw 10 percent lower attendance last year compared to two years ago. It's currently on track to welcome roughly 30 percent fewer attendees this year.
"We don't usually shy away from challenges. I mean, we are here to change things that are not as positive now," Poole-Dayan says. "But it is only if we know we can reach people. And if people don't show up, how can we help?"
According to its website, MHB annually facilitates more than $1 million worth of financial support via discounted and free services as well as legal service providers for gay prospective parents.
The group travels across the globe each year to share resources and other guidance with gay men looking to become parents via surrogacy. It held conferences this year in Atlanta, Berlin, Chicago, and New York, with another scheduled for Belgium in November.
Poole-Dayan emphasizes that MHB exists to help prospective fathers who cannot otherwise afford to start a family.
"The unfortunate outcome of this would be not just that people in Florida are going to be disadvantaged, it's that people who are, to begin with, more disadvantaged are going to be the most disadvantaged," he says, "because what we're providing is help for people otherwise can't afford it."
I hear Vermont is beautiful that of year...
Why would they have met there in the first place?
It’s not like DeSantis was just elected.
Oh, Jesus. I guess they’re not getting any attention there.
Cue Curly Joe.
Well, I think I grooming part is correct.
“Don’t cram your lifestyle down our throats, flaunt it 24x7 every chance you get, insist we embrace it, and teach it to our kids in our schools and libraries” morphed into “hate speech and intolerance.”
Right.
Cue Seinfield...”That’s a shame!”
Well,,that will show DeSantis if they up and leave...
To believe someone is wrong, living a deviant lifestyle is not hate.
And..,,?
Maybe MHB should have their next conference in Gaza.
I hear the residents there are very very tolerant of behavior like MHB.
“California...here we come”
Take your HIV backsides to SF.
“It’s just we feel and have multiple indications that there’s a chilling effect.”
Maybe it was something I said.
Now git.
But...all the damn leafers!
I am sure FL is simply devastated by your leaving.
Don’t let the back door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
Opposition is hate. Brainwashing through words.
Firstly: I thought that "African Americans" were already "people of color?" Why are "African Americans" singled out here?
Secondly: Name the policies that are "openly hostile" to Colored People, so that we can fight them together! Explicitly identify those evil policies, so that we can rescind them!
(crickets)
Regards,
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