{Courtesy CC/Wikipedia/Nina West}
By Tom Urban
Florida News Service
The Florida House is set to vote on a measure aimed at preventing children from being admitted to adult live performances.
While the proposal does not specifically target drag shows, it comes in the wake of Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration’s actions against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event last December.
The administration filed a complaint against the hotel, alleging that minors were allowed to attend the show and seeking to have the hotel’s liquor license revoked.
The bill sponsor, State Representative Randy Fine, argues that there is no reason for children to be at drag shows. He claims that exposing children to such shows could be damaging to their mental health, leading to record levels of mental health issues and suicides among young people.
However, opponents of the measure, including Representative Rita Harris, argue that parents should have the right to decide whether their children attend such events. They also claim that the measure is part of a broader conservative attempt to target LGBTQ individuals.
The Florida Senate has already passed its own version of the bill, and the House is expected to vote on the measure soon. If passed, the action would prevent children from being admitted to adult live performances and could lead to penalties for venues that violate the law.
While the measure does not explicitly single out drag shows, it has been widely viewed as an attempt to curtail the rights of LGBTQ individuals in Florida.
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