DeSantis seeks ban on child-friendly drag shows in Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In the latest assault on the LGBTQ+ community, drag shows aimed at children could be banned in Florida, after a lawmaker and Gov. Ron DeSantis followed the lead of an idea in Texas.
After a Texas lawmaker proposed banning drag shows where children are present, Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, jumped on the bandwagon. He proposed banning drag shows aimed at children, charging parents who bring their child to drag shows and taking away their parental rights.
Shortly after that, Gov. Ron DeSantis indicated his support. During a news conference, the governor told reporters he asked his administration to look into whether a parent taking their child to a kid-friendly drag show would count as child endangerment.
His reasoning? “That is not something that children should be exposed to,” DeSantis said.
Videos from the Texas drag show that caught lawmakers’ attention show drag queens dressed in flashy dresses strutting down a catwalk alongside children who volunteered to participate and strike a pose with the queens.
DeSantis referenced a photo he saw of a girl putting a dollar bill in a dancer’s thong. None of the drag queens at the show danced burlesque or wore thongs while performing, and there’s no evidence the photo was taken at that show.
Sabatini targeted Pride on the Block in West Palm Beach, a popular yearly Pride event that offered a kid-friendly drag show that would promote themes of selflove and free expression. This year’s event was targeted by a mass shooting threat.
A teen living in Canada who had made antiLGBTQ+ comments had threatened to shoot up the event. The drag show did not go on.
“Our main concern that day was making sure that we kept everybody safe, and that’s why we moved the youth section,” said Donna Weinberger, CEO of Inspire Recovery, who produced this year’s event. “With the anniversary of the Pulse shooting in Orlando coming up this weekend, we understand how serious these continuous threats are to our community.”
Prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy groups released statements against the proposed ban, as well as the other anti-LGBTQ bills that have been signed in Florida and around the country. Earlier this year, DeSantis signed a law that would ban instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in grades K-3, and in higher grade levels if that instruction is deemed “not age appropriate” or not “developmentally appropriate” for students.
His administration also moved to ban gender-affirming health care for transgender and non-binary teens, and in 2020 DeSantis signed a law that banned transfeminine girls and women from competing on school sports teams.
Tatiana Williams, executive director of TransInclusive Group, questioned DeSantis’ position on parents having rights over their children, when he was looking into taking away those rights when it comes to LGBTQ+ love and acceptance.