Florida's Stonewall LGBTQ+ Museum Defunded by Local County Under DeSantis Anti-DEI Law
In October 2026, the Cultural Division of Broward County, Florida, rejected an annual operating grant application from the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale. The decision was made in response to a state law championed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis that bars local governments from allocating public funds to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
According to U.S. news outlet LGBTQ Nation, the institution received approximately $70,000 in county support in the previous fiscal year, bringing total municipal aid to more than $1 million since 2014. In its notification, county officials cited the necessity of reviewing grant allocations against “applicable administrative and policy requirements.”
The funding denial stems from Florida Statute CS/SB 1134 (“Official Actions of Local Governments”), which DeSantis signed into law in April 2026 and which takes effect on January 1, 2027. The measure prohibits counties and municipalities from funding or promoting programs that grant preferences based on race, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation, voiding any conflicting local ordinances. The statute explicitly specifies that local elected officials who violate its provisions commit misfeasance or malfeasance in office, exposing them to suspension or removal by the governor. Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller explained that local officials felt constrained to comply strictly with the state mandate to prevent state intervention and potential dismissals.
Robert Kesten, CEO and president of the Stonewall National Museum, said the cut will force the organization to end the year in a deficit. He noted that museum staff had proactively resubmitted the application without direct references to the LGBTQ+ community, but the request was nonetheless turned down. Kesten urged county commissioners to challenge the state law in court rather than preemptively defunding civic institutions with decades of community service, affirming that the museum intends to continue operations by seeking private philanthropic support and adapting its operational model.
The funding restrictions have impacted other local cultural groups as well. Grant requests were also denied to the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, and single-gender organizations including the choral group Florida Singing Sons. Proponents of the legislation, led by state Senator Clay Yarborough, maintain that public tax dollars should not be channeled into socially divisive ideological programs under the guise of cultural grants.
Founded in 1972 in Fort Lauderdale, the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library is among the oldest and largest cultural repositories in the United States dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ history, literature, and art. Its permanent collection encompasses more than 28,000 books and periodicals, alongside extensive archival records and historical artifacts.
Previously, Uránia reported on efforts to document queer heritage in the region, including a public lecture hosted by the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando exploring Florida’s LGBTQ+ history, as well as coverage of major Pride festivities in the city of St. Petersburg.
