Top Features for Miami, Florida
Miami aka The City of Miami is a coastal metropolis in Miami-Dade County. It is located in southeastern Florida and is the 44th-largest city in the United States and its eighth-largest metropolitan area. The city is home to the third-largest skyline in the nation with over 300 high-rises, 58 of them exceeding 491 ft (150 m).
Facts
- The name Miami originated from one of the native tribes living in the region in the 1600s and 1700s: the Mayaimi.
- Miami Beach has the world’s most significant collection of art deco architecture.
- Miami is the only city in the U.S. surrounded by two national parks: Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park.
History/Data
Thousands of years before Europeans arrived, the area was inhabited by the Tequestas Native American Tribe. This tribe, at the time where Europeans first made contact, occupied an area located along the southeastern Atlantic coast of Florida.
LGBTQ+ Facts
The Miami area has been well-known for being LGBTQ+-friendly for decades. It is one of only a select few areas there is an LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce called the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC). Since 2005, Miami has been home to approximately 15,277 self-identifying gay and bisexual individuals.
Miami Beach as an Iconic LGBTQ+ Destination
In the late-1980s to the mid-1990s, many gay people and lesbians moved to Miami, which led to the city’s revitalization. These individuals bought and restored Art Deco hotels and clubs, started various businesses, and built political power in local government. Now, Miami Beach is considered to be “a Gay Mecca” because of how LGBTQ+ friendly the city is and how many events there are for its queer population and visitors. Miami Beach alone is home to many gay bars and LGBTQ+-specific events, as well as five service and resource organizations.
In 2014’s report from HRC (the largest LGBTQ+ rights group in the U.S.), Miami Beach scored higher than any other U.S. municipality for LGBTQ+ inclusiveness. In addition, Miami runs some of the country’s biggest fundraisers beneficial to local and national LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Since 2018, some of the biggest LGBTQ+ events in Miami Beach have taken place. These include:
- Miami Beach Pride
- Sizzle Miami[19]
- The Winter Party
- The White Party
- Celebrate Orgullo
- Aqua Girl
- The OutShine Film Festival
- The Miami Recognition Dinner
Mental Health in Miami, Florida
For adults ages 18 or older in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale- Pompano Beach MSA, 4.9 percent (200,000 adults) had a major depressive episode over the past year. This rate was lower than the rates in Florida and the U.S. as a whole.
In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach MSA, 349,000 people ages 12 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year at 7.8 percent. This rate was lower than the rates in Florida and the U.S.
If you are a youth struggling with depression, substance abuse, or other severe mental health issues, our team at LGBTQ and ALL has compiled a list of mental health care providers in the Miami area. Be sure to look through our database to find a psychologist in your region that specializes in treating children or young people.