On May 17, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed four laws that restrict the rights of the LGBTQI+ population in the state. The following stand out in the new legislation: limitation of access to health care for transgender people; prohibition of the presence of minors in drag shows; and restrictions on bathroom access for trans people.

These laws are within a context that is changing the reality of Florida. Under the DeSantis administration, the state is increasingly shifting to the conservative right, enacting controversial legislation on issues of diversity and sexuality. Last year, the governor's project known by opponents as “Don't say gay” was sanctioned, bringing several limitations to the discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in the state's schools, with harsh penalties for teachers if the law was disrespected. It is noteworthy that Florida has been leading other “conservative” states to pass legislation that limits the rights of the LGBTQI+ population, especially transgender people.

Therefore, the question arises: how did this happen and what are the consequences of Ron DeSantis' policies for both Florida and the United States?

Elected for the first time in 2018, Ron DeSantis is one of the most controversial leaders in recent American history. With a career that combines military and political successes, he was one of the main voices of the Trump campaign and the conservative movement, signaling changes that are currently underway in Florida. When he took office in 2019, he gained national attention during the Covid-19 pandemic, relativizing the threat of the virus and easing social distancing rules. Later, without foundation, he attributed that these measures would be behind the low mortality rate from the virus and the resilience of the Florida economy compared to other states. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), mortality rates in Florida were many times higher than those in Democrat-led states on the West Coast and Northeast of the country. In addition, he alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential elections, restricted access to abortion, created laws that censor books considered “ideological”, prohibited the teaching of Critical Racial Theory and, recently, has been approving laws that limit the rights of the LGBTQI+ population.

Under the motto “Where woke goes to die”, DeSantis has been transforming Florida into a stronghold of conservative policies that, for other states in the country, are too radical. Places like Colorado, Maryland, Michigan and Minnesota have passed legislation that protects the rights of transgender people, as well as other states that guarantee the right to abortion without too many restrictions.

DeSantis' policies are polarizing. Division is the word that best describes this moment, which is reaching huge proportions and becoming the target of major legal battles, such as the troubled relationship between the governor and Disney. Last year, the entertainment giant criticized the law that prohibited the teaching of guidelines on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, leading to a legal battle that culminated in the end of Disney's control over its special district in Orlando.

Many claim these actions are designed to attract voters beyond Florida. This is because the governor is quoted as one of the party's candidates for the presidency, ranking second, behind former President Donald Trump, in polls on the Republican Party primaries. It is worth noting that the two have been attacking each other in recent months, at the same time that DeSantis travels the country touting his actions in Florida. For comparison, in recent polls the governor usually reaches 30% of the voting intentions of republican voters, and hypothetical polls that place him as the official candidate of the party against Joe Biden, show a tight race, with the governor even leading some them.

That is, Florida and the United States changed after the election of DeSantis. His conservative policies are grabbing the attention of Republican voters across the United States, as well as placing him at the center of national politics. He was re-elected in 2022 with a percentage close to 60% of the votes, a sign of his popularity in the state, at the same time that Disney is giving up billionaire investments because of this supposed “persecution” (Disney cancels Florida project. Here's what you need to know.(pnj.com)) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), one of the leading organizations fighting discrimination in the United States, classified Florida as an “actively hostile” environment for minorities, in due to recent policies that affect different groups. So what will be the fate of the governor and his policies, as he has now officially become a candidate for the White House? Only time will tell if the United States will become the country where the “woken culture” goes to die.