TAMPA, Fla. — As Pride festivities begin in the month of June, many Floridians might be wondering if drag shows are illegal after a bill passed in the Florida Legislature.
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed HB 1438, which is dubbed "Protection of Children." The law ultimately bars children's exposure to adult live performances and lewd behavior, lawmakers said.
While the law doesn't specifically mention drag shows, the bill defines "adult live performances" as "any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, ... lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts."
The law also "imposes fines and license suspension for hotels and restaurants that admit a child into an adult performance."
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, even with the new law — drag shows are still legal in the state of Florida. Venues will now just have to ensure that children are not in attendance at the shows.
Critics have said the legislation is so vague that Pride parades could be in jeopardy. Before the bill was even passed, some voiced worry that local governments might feel pressure to deny permits for public pride events.
However, local organizers said the events throughout Pride month will comply with new legislation but acknowledge they affect LGBTQ+ people.
"My community has faced countless cowardly attacks and silence our voices, restrict our rights and erase our presence," Nicole Berman, St. Pete Pride executive director, said.
St. Pete Pride will be busy once again hosting Florida's largest Pride parade. Previous parades have drawn at least 300,000 people before.
Click here for a full guide to 2023 St. Pete Pride.
10 Tampa Bay's Claire Farrow contributed to this report.
