Over the last few years, the Republican governor and his political allies have targeted the local LGBTQ+ community with horrific legislation.
From the disturbing ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to the various bills attacking the rights of trans youth, the state’s conservative lawmakers are showing no signs of slowing down their hateful rhetoric.
Due to DeSantis’ harmful crusade against the community, an array of LGBTQ+ activists and allies have left the state to escape the various hateful policies – including Union and her husband Dwyane Wade.
Back in 2021, the Bring It On star and former Miami Heat player sold their Miami beach-front home for $22 million, per The Los Angeles Times.
“I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal and individual decisions,” Wade explained on an episode of Showtime’s Headliners with Rachel Nichols.
“Obviously, the taxes is great. Having Wade County is great. But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And so that’s one of the reasons why I don’t live there.”
While the lovebirds have established a new and inclusive life in California for their children – including their openly trans daughter Zaya – Union’s work recently brought her back to Florida for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
The reasoning behind her attendance stemmed from her new Netflix film The Perfect Find – which was being screened at the event.
While speaking with Variety, the Strange World star opened up about her return and using her platform to fight back against DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.
“I’m here to say that there are people in this city – in this very city – who do not feel safe here, do not feel protected here, don’t feel the love,” she said.
“And when you are governed, it doesn’t matter if you’re in Tallahassee or Key West, still under the same rules and regulations.”
Towards the end of her statement, Union expressed the importance of voting, stating: “I’m here to let people know that there is a way out, and that’s called voting him out.”
Union’s powerful statement comes a few months after she called for a “new era of activism” for the lives of Black trans people at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards.
“Even as we demand equality at the top of our lungs, we consistently failed to extend our advocacy to protect some of our most vulnerable among us,” she said during her speech.
Union went on to highlight how the Black trans community is being “targeted, terrorised and hunted” in the United States “every day everywhere, and there’s rarely a whisper about it.”
“This is a conversation worth having in ways that can actually build bridges. That don’t fan the flames of hatred or division,” Union said to applause.