Governmental imprimatur to discriminate. Corporate support headed for the hills. A growing culture of fear. The situation for LGBTQ is as dire as predicted. That was the message at Stonewall National Museum Archives & Library’s annual Back to the Drive gala.

Headlined by MSNBC anchor Eugene Daniels, the night drew community leaders who share the goal of stemming the tide of anti-LGBTQ sentiment. Much of the night was focused on how the media can regain trust after more than a decade of false claims by Republicans and lies spread on social media.

“The idea of talking about the media is very interesting to me, that’s why I’m here,” Daniels said. “Every movement that’s been successful in this country has succeeded because they never quit.”

Stonewall Executive Director Robert Kesten echoed those thoughts, saying, “We will not stop until equality is recognized for what it is, and that is equality for everyone. Our community is built on the shoulders of all the movements that came before us.”

Kesten pointed out that 50 years after Anita Bryant’s bigoted campaign to roll back equal rights in Dade County, Florida is again the epicenter of repression and is the role model for federal discrimination.

“Florida is in a class by itself, and did that intentionally and selectively to make itself ground zero in this campaign against our community.”

Daniels preached patience and persistence.

“Progress is never immediate. There’s always going to be backlash. There will be people who are not ready. You have to push those people along and keep doing it.”

Eugene Daniels. Photo courtesy of Stonewall Museum.