LGBTQ Florida welcomes you with fun and fierceness
Embattled states need our support, not our travel boycotts. Here’s why.
The banning of drag queens and diminishing the freedoms of transgender folks are just two of the factors that have led to travel boycotts and LGBTQ+ travel advisory warnings for individuals visiting or living in the State of Florida.
Equality Florida was the first group to issue a travel warning followed by the Human Rights Campaign’s declaration of a National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans.
Oddly enough, Florida is a state dependent on travel dollars! 2022 tourism raked in over $122B according to the U.S. Travel Association ranking tourism as the number one industry statewide and bringing in enough dollars to make a state income tax obsolete for its residence.
So how do LGBTQ+ travelers navigate the unwelcoming messaging disseminating from the state’s Capitol that’s in stark contrast to most of Florida’s embracing towns, cities, counties and the many supportive businesses? First and foremost we need to feel safe. And we want to ‘feel welcome.’ Our dollars may be welcome however we want to be embraced and welcomed as guests and visitors.
One resource for recognizing welcoming inclusive spaces in travel, whether it be in Florida or around the globe, is FabStayz. Based in Tampa Bay, the LGBTQ+ startup has taken a campy, fun approach to showing off its booking platform and hometown with videos starring its Fab! Flight Crew of drag queen flight attendants — ‘cuz who knows travel better than a flight attendant!’
The first video entitled ‘These Heels Are Made for Walkin’ has real life flight attendant, Danny Lee Cabrera aka Liquor Mini, with Tampa Pride Grand Marshall Esme Russell walking the sites of Tampa Bay with their pink luggage in tow. On their sped up walk they sashay and strut along Bayshore Boulevard, the Riverwalk, historic Ybor City, upscale shopping center Hyde Park Village and the waterfront district of Sparkman Wharf.
‘Honk if You Support Drag Queens’ was created as a fundraiser for the April march on the state Capitol in support of trans rights and drag rights. FabStayz raised $500 one dollar at a time for each view of the video with the monies used for buses to transport LGBTQ+ community members from around the state to attend the march. FabStayz was there with 100’s of others chanting ‘trans lives matter’ in the rotunda of the State Capitol at a volume that was near deafening.
The campy video series includes ‘Drag Queen Team Building’ where the FabStayz Flight Crew bond over food and games, picture drag queens bowling, ‘TECO Streetcar Safety Compliance’ and ‘Tampa Water Taxi’ where the queens give their safety check demo.
Feeling Fab in Tampa Heights
Throughout the video series Liquor Mini talks about booking her Tampa Heights FabStayz. Meet ally FabHost Renee, she has a 4.98 star rating with over 130 reviews of her Height’s Haven Studio. This carriage house studio apartment is perfectly situated on a tree lined street blocks from Tampa’s super popular Riverwalk and dining and entertainment venue Armature Works. Renee’s property boasts a luxurious king size bed, mod velvet couch and a beautifully appointed kitchen his granite topped island. Check out the pics of this top rated Tampa Bay FabStayz.
