Texas, Florida schools excluded from LGBTQ-friendly college list over new state laws

Campus Pride's yearly list of LGBTQ-friendly campuses across the country now no longer includes universities in Florida and Texas. This week, the charity group that made the list said that some states were left off because of new laws that "endanger and hurt LGBTQ community."
Campus Pride is a non-profit organization that works to make schools safer and more welcoming for LGBTQ people. Every year, they put out a list of the "Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities'' and the "Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth." The University of North Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Texas Tech University were taken off the "Best of the Best'' list for 2023 because "they must abide by new state laws that effectively ban LGBTQ+ inclusion programs and services."
"These laws are being weaponized against LGBTQ+ people, putting the safety and well-being of students on campuses across Florida and Texas at risk."
"We are already hearing from prospective students and families that they are choosing colleges elsewhere," Campus Pride's President and CEO, Shane Mendez Windmeyer, said in a statement.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, 17 states have passed over 30 new LGBTQ-related education regulations this year, which will go into force in the 2023-24 school year unless challenged in court. 
The 2023 "Best of the Best" list from Campus Pride includes 30 four-year public and private colleges from across the country that provide "exceptional LGBTQ+ programs and services." The Campus Pride Index has a database of over 240 additional LGBTQ-friendly campuses. 
Pride at UTD, an LGBTQ student organization at the University of Texas at Dallas, released a statement claiming Campus Pride "made the right decision in removing UT Dallas from its list." 
Amanda Ennis, a spokesperson for the University of North Florida, said  that the school is "committed to making sure that all of our students, faculty, and staff have the support and resources they need to be successful personally, academically, and professionally." She also said that the LGBTQ Center on campus will stay open while the school waits for "regulatory guidance from the Florida Board of Governors on implementation."