The DeSantis administration’s warnings haven’t stopped children from being exposed to sexualized drag shows in Florida.
Despite warnings from the Ron DeSantis administration against allowing minors to attend sexualized Christmas-themed drag queen events in Florida, one Orlando LGBTQ+ performer was seen giving “birth” during a performance with children in the audience.
The exhibit occurred at the Drag Queen Christmas event in Orlando, Florida, which was previously warned by the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) against allowing minors to attend.
An Orlando venue, The Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation Inc., was sent a letter by the DeSantis administration earlier this week that cautioned against permitting children to view the drag show’s “exposure or exhibition of sexual organs, simulated sexual activity, and/or the sexualization of children’s stories.”
The state threatened to revoke the venues business license if children were discovered to be in attendance at the drag show.
“Accordingly, Florida’s licensure laws provide strict penalties for licenses who allow minors to attend these drag shows at their licensed premises,” the letter reads. “These penalties range up to and include renovation of the license pertaining to the licensed premises.”
“In short, if you allow children to attend the Drag Fans drag show at your facility, you are putting your license in jeopardy,” the letter stated.
A separate venue in Miami received the same letter from the DeSantis administration as public pressure to shut down the controversial shows continues to build.
“The Department has reason to believe that this drag show is of a sexual nature, involving the exposure or exhibition of sexual organs, simulated sexual activity, and/or the sexualization of children’s stories,” the DeSantis administration warned one venue, HRM Owner LLC, in Miami on Tuesday.
“The Department has also become aware that drag shows by Drag Fans have been marketed to and attended by minors, including young children,” the letter states. “Sexually explicit drag show performances constitute public nuisances, lewd activity, and disorderly conduct when minors are in attendance.”
“A Drag Queen Christmas,” exposed by reporter Tayler Hansen, is a national drag queen tour co-hosted by Hollywood-affiliated man “Nina West” and is set to take place in 18 different states.