Through activism and the arts, the LGBTQ community in Miami has a long track record of leading restoration and revitalization efforts in several of Miami's historic communities. Miami has a strong historical connection to numerous ethnic communities from various regions throughout the world who call Miami home. As of 2018, some of the largest LGBT events in Miami Beach are: Miami Beach is home to some of the country's largest fundraisers that benefit both local and national LGBT nonprofits. municipality for LGBT inclusiveness, according to a 2014 report released by HRC, the nation's largest LGBT-rights group. In 2014, Miami Beach scored higher this year than any other U.S. In 2010, the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, with support from the City of Miami Beach, opened an LGBT Visitor Center at Miami Beach's Old City Hall. Both residents of, and visitors to, Miami Beach have been able to register as domestic partners since 2004 in 2008 this benefit was extended to all of Miami-Dade County. In January 2010, Miami Beach passed a revised Human Rights Ordinance that strengthens enforcement of already existing human rights laws and adds protections for transgender people, making Miami Beach's human rights laws some of the most progressive in the state. In 2008, the new Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower created a Gay Business Development Ad Hoc Committee, with a mission to bring recommendations to the Mayor and City Commission on initiatives to be implemented and supported by the city regarding a variety of issues to ensure the welfare and future of the Miami Beach LGBT community. The passage of progressive civil rights laws, election of outspokenly pro-gay Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, and the introduction of Miami Beach's Gay Pride Celebration, have reinvigorated the local LGBT community in recent years, which some argued had experienced a decline in the late 2000s. Some instances of Miami Beach Police brutality against gay men have been at odds with Miami Beach's longstanding image as a welcoming place for gay people.
Miami Beach is home to numerous gay bars and gay-specific events, and five service and resource organizations.Īs South Beach became more popular as a national and international tourist destination, there have been occasional clashes between cultures and disputes about whether South Beach is as "gay-friendly" as it once was. Miami Beach is currently considered by many to be a Gay Mecca because of how LGBTQ friendly the city is and how many events the city offers for the community. The newcomers purchased and restored dilapidated Art Deco hotels and clubs, started numerous businesses, and built political power in city and county government. Percentage of GLB individuals in populationĪfter decades of economic and social decline, an influx of gays and lesbians moving to South Beach in the late-1980s to mid-1990s led to Miami Beach's revitalization. Geographic entityĭensity of GLB individuals per square mile This number represents 0.92% of all marriages. There are an estimated 5,131 married same-sex couples in Miami as of 2015, according to a 2018 study of joint tax filings by the Tax Policy Center. Miami is estimated to have 15,777 individuals within city boundaries and 183,346 in the Greater Miami area, as estimated by the Williams Institute in 2006. Demographics and economy Population and concentration Some members of the committee were skeptical of Noriega's assertion that the recent case wasn't indicative of a larger problem in the MBPD, and provided examples of other cases.
He also announced that a captain, who is a lesbian, would soon be reassigned to Internal Affairs to handle complaints about cops accused of harassing gays. At the meeting with the local gay leaders, Miami Beach Police Chief Carlos Noriega claimed that the incidents were isolated, and promised increased diversity training for police officers. The incidents between gay men and MBPD resulted in negative publicity for the city. According to the ACLU, Miami Beach police have a history of arresting gay men for simply looking "too gay". In February 2010, the ACLU announced that it will sue the City of Miami Beach for an ongoing targeting and arrests of gay men in public. In 2009, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) began looking into instances of Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) targeting gay men for harassment.
History Miami Beach Police targeting claims