Orlando Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani is calling the DeSantis administration’s investigation into a drag show touring the state, hypocritical.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation threatened the licenses of both The Plaza Live in Orlando and a South Florida venue if minors were allowed to attend a show they hosted called “A Drag Queen Christmas.”
In letters sent to both businesses, the department claimed the performance had been marketed to children and that it was sexually explicit.
Eskamani said these actions aren’t about protecting kids. Instead, they're a direct attack on LGBTQ people and their freedom to exist in the state.
“Some content like going to a Hooters is not seen as sexually explicit or inappropriate for children, but watching a drag show performance which is theatrical in nature is," said Eskamani. "The fact that one is better than the other based on some skewed perspective of morality. It's, it's sick, it's homophobic, it's rooted in a political agenda.”
Eskamani said she’s not only worried about the impact these actions might have on the safety of the LGBTQ community, but on the solvency of local mom-and-pop businesses.
“It’s not even just the culture wars that are concerning and the conflation of LGBTQ plus identity to sexual activity," said Eskamani. "It's also the fact that they're going after small businesses and nonprofit leaders and institutions in our community that have been really beacons of hope and light, you know, especially in these past years.”
Eskamani says she’s concerned DeSantis and conservative Republicans might try to pass an all-out ban on drag shows during the next legislative session.
Republicans allege drag shows and even drag queen story hours are inappropriate for children.
