Vermont as a state government is pretty protective of gay rights. Most communities also are very accepting. I fit the B in LGBTQ acronym, and raised my oldest child in a good sized lesbian community, but we also lived in a pretty accepting average Vermont rural community, where we raised our kids. And that was more than 25 years ago. People have grown increasingly accepting since then.

Like anyplace, there are some jerks. But I completely understand your fear in Florida. Ironically, some of my dear lesbian friends with whom I raised our kids have retired to Florida.