On May 11, 1999 the South Florida LGBTQ community was preparing for Y2K and still dealing with the horror of AIDS. But on that date, Scott Galvin was elected to the North Miami City Council. It would begin a long run as the longest serving LGBTQ elected official in Florida history. That milestone came to an end this week when he finished his service to the community.. His last act was attending his 620th City Council meeting in a row. He did not miss a single meeting in 25 years.
Galvin was asked by OutSFL his favorite single memory in his 25 years. He said “It’s hard to pinpoint a single memory because so much happened over 25 years. Many constituents reached out to me for help and each had a unique story.” He became a focal point for LGBTQ advocacy organizations as his election streak began. He was involved in many stories that made national news including wearing a wire for the State in a bribery investigation and was interviewed by CNN over the 2016 Police shooting of Charles Kinsey in North Miami.
Scott Galvin may be most remembered for his fight with Governor Ron DeSantis legislation on ‘Don’t Say Gay’ in 2022. As Executive Director of Safe Schools South Florida he organized a student, parent and school statewide response. When Disney waffled on their opposition to the pending legislation, Galvin organized the large protest at the gates of Walt Disney World. The protest led to national news focusing on the LGBTQ community. Activists credit it as a major turning point for the Disney chairman change and Disney’s opposition to DeSantis anti-LGBTQ policies. When asked why LGBTQ youth were so important to him Galvin said “I've served in a city that has a majority Haitian-American population and doesn't have a "gayborhood." But with decades of community organizing and fundraising, I wanted to work in the LGBTQ community and put my talents to use. I used to be a school teacher so when the job at Safe Schools opened, it was a great fit.”
With the January 20 inauguration looming, OutSFL asked Galvin to look ahead for what the LGBTQ community can expect during the next four years. Galvin had an ominous warning saying “It will be dark. I expect that in the first days of the Trump administration, several executive orders will be issued rolling back rights. The trans community will take the early brunt. Eventually, I expect them to challenge gay marriage, both going forward and retroactively. Federal government funding of LGBTQ groups and programs will likely cease. "Don't Say Gay" will be enacted on a federal level. And as that law taught us in Florida, it won't always be the exact letter of the law that makes it so effective. The confusion and fear these rules will create will also shut down programs.”
Scott Galvin’s transition from the longest LGBTQ elected official in Florida history will be just like most of his career, steady and quiet. Galvin perhaps said it best even with his mountain of accomplishments for the LGBTQ community, “Ironically, even though I was in elected office for so long, most of South Florida's gay community doesn't know my name.” Galvin will continue as Executive Director of Safe Schools South Florida. He is likely going to be very busy for the next four years.
Al Ferguson is a well-known LGBTQ media personality who created Queer News Tonight, the FayWhat Show, It’s Happening Out and other news and information programs for Hotspots Happening Out. He has interviewed hundreds of celebrities, politicians and news makers on behalf of the LGBTQ community. Al is the voice of the streaming television broadcast of many of South Florida’s largest events including the Stonewall Pride Parade.
