During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump disavowed familiarity with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s plan for autocratic takeover of the U.S. That disavowal proved as truthful as his promise not to disturb the East Wing of the White House.

For more than half a century, the Miss Florida F.I. Pageantry System has stood as one of the most radiant symbols of artistry, identity, and courage within the LGBTQ community. On Nov. 10, that brilliance will once again fill the Crystal Ballroom at The Venue Fort Lauderdale (2345 Wilton Drive) as the pageant celebrates its 53rd anniversary — a milestone that represents not just the endurance of an event, but the survival of an entire culture under siege.

I love our country. I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa in the 1970s.

A longer version of this article was published in Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context, edited by Vern L. Bullough (2002).