ORLANDO, Fla. — For Orlando to become the place it is today — one adorned with rainbow flags and heralded for LGBTQ equality — it has taken time, the result of deliberate steps by leaders who worked to craft a culture of acceptance.

“I have found that in my role as policymaker, I can get a lot more done, of course," District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan says. “Orlando has become a very welcoming mecca because of the protections that we have.”

Sheehan, who has lived in Orlando since 1972, finds her roots in activism: She participated in marches on Washington in the late 1980s and early '90s. It was a time of turbulence for the LGBTQ community, and Sheehan personally said she lost half her friends between the ages of 25 and 30.

She recalled that the LGBTQ community was also itself fractured, working in different silos for similar rights, but "gelled together" amid the AIDS crisis. 

But even into the 1990s, the landscape in Central Florida still wasn't accepting, she said.

“A lot of people who were professionals were afraid to come out. They actually put paper bags over their heads; they didn’t want anyone to know who they were," she said. “Sometimes, we would do demonstrations in Winter Park, and there was one time, we were outnumbered by the Klansmen. The police did not take down the license plates of the Klansmen, they took down our license plates like we were the problem."

Later, upset about representation in her own area of The City Beautiful, she decided to run for a seat on the Orlando City Commission in 1996. She lost but returned four years later with renewed resolve. After knocking on 5,000 doors, Sheehan won the seat and with it, marked a milestone: She became first openly gay commissioner in the city's history.

A few years later, in the early 2000s, Orlando passed protections for LGBTQ individuals, which focused on housing and employment. Businesses and entities such as area theme parks, some big box stores, and Rollins College publicly recognized the importance of welcoming LGBTQ visitors, Sheehan said.

The commissioner also found a strong ally in Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

Born in Orlando, Dyer grew up in Kissimmee. He later attended Brown University and there for the first time met openly gay students. The experience, he said, "shaped his attitude for life."

“I’ve been pretty accepting of all types of people, and that’s been my political philosophy as well," he said. “We have one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the entire country, and we’ve been progressive on a lot of things. I think we talk about embracing diversity, and we do embrace diversity.”

Orlando was one of first cities in Florida to adopt a domestic partnership registry, becoming a model for other cities, Dyer said. And in 2015, the mayor officiated a pivotal ceremony at City Hall, a moment now indelible in his mind. 

“Marriage equality was recognized as the law of the land. I performed a ceremony for about 50 couples," he said. “I think Orlando has become a beacon for the entire country and the world in terms of LGBTQ equality."

Sheehan, too, remembers the moment with pride, recalling her district aide, Bill, getting married to his longtime partner as other couples formed a long line for their opportunity.

“One couple had been together like 50 years and waited for this moment. I think it was the culmination, but it’s not the end," she said.

It's not just people helping The City Beautiful live up to its name; it's also events that allow LGBTQ members to feel accepted.

“It’s earth-shaking for many GLBT attendees that they’ll come and realize, 'Oh my God, I’m not the only one,'" said Chris Alexander-Manley, who serves as president of Gay Days, a citywide event that draws locals and visitors alike. “It’s grown to be one of the top destination events, not only for the GLBT community, but one of the top financial events in Central Florida."

He said the event began as a one-day visit to Disney World's Magic Kingdom, with participants wearing red shirts in order to "be seen." 

Alexander-Manley was a volunteer that first year. But now, after serving in a variety of roles supporting the community, including as executive director of The Center, he is the event's president. Gay Days, in its 30th year and at host hotel Margaritaville, is much bigger than pool parties and pageants, he explained.

“We try to support the nonprofits that are doing the work out there 365 days," he said. “While we’re there, we educate the people of the opportunities, the needs that are out there. I’m proud to be a man who happens to be gay. That’s only one part of who I am. We always have to keep up the good fight to share that we’re fellow human beings.”

Sheehan agrees. Just last week, she set the record for the longest-serving city commissioner. She said that she plans to continue to fight to make Orlando more inclusive for all residents.

And even through the community’s most challenging moments, like the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, Sheehan says she still believes in the winds of change.

“We have to continue working together and not let anyone divide us," she said.