Miami Beach Pride kicks off as Florida considers banning flying rainbow flags

The rainbow flags are flying high in South Florida! Miami Beach Pride is back for its 17th year, kicking off Thursday with a weeklong celebration of LGBTQ+ identity, culture, and community.

Miami Beach Pride is officially underway, becoming a hub of inclusivity and celebration. This year is set to be one of the biggest yet, with both dancing and dialogue.

With the raising of the progressive rainbow flag over Miami Beach City Hall, Miami Beach Pride 2025 officially started on Thursday. Organizers and city leaders raised the flag, which represents diversity, love, and equality.

“This is a moment of visibility. This flag shows to the world not only is the gay community here, but the gay community is welcome, is included, is embraced," said Commissioner Alex Fernandez. "It's celebrated year-round, not just during Pride.”

The flag flies high as LGBTQ+ rights are under attack across the nation and here in Florida. Lawmakers in the state are proposing a series of bans and restrictions, including whether local governments, schools, and state universities can even fly the Pride flag. The proposed legislation says governments should remain neutral on political issues.

Democratic state Senator Shevrin Jones opposes the proposal.

"What they define as a political viewpoint is not a political viewpoint in that is sexual orientation or gender or political ideology viewpoint," Jones said. "That they have not defined it, my colleagues know they haven’t defined it, and local governments should be able to do what’s best for them."