Miami Beach preps for annual Pride celebration as state lawmakers mull bill to curb drag shows
MIAMI BEACH -- The stage was being set Monday for this weekend's Miami Beach Pride Celebration even though a cloud hangs over it this year.
"With the pending legislation in Tallahassee, this absolutely could be the last Pride as we know it for our 15th anniversary just given a lot of the forthcoming legislation that's aimed at drag queens and the bills under the guise of protecting children that could fundamentally alter our programming," said Patrick Gevas with Miami Beach Pride.
The so-called "Protection of Children" legislation that is currently making its way through the legislature would punish any group or person who allows children to see adult live performances.
The version in the state Senate would ban governments from issuing permits to such shows.
"The bill's focus is protecting children," said state Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican from Palm Bay who is the House sponsor of the bill. "For whatever reason, the woke left has become obsessed with sexualizing our kids. In the state of Florida we're saying that's not going to happen.
"Adult entertainment should be limited to adults," he said. "I don't know why certain people are obsessed with performing adult entertainment in front of children. I don't really get it, it's disgusting to me. This bill simply says adult entertainment is for adults. The end."
Fine said the bill does not prevent adults from watching adult entertainment.
Organizers with Miami Beach Pride said they are not changing a thing.
The Miami Beach Pride festival begins Saturday to be followed by a parade on Sunday.
"For us, we are going ahead as planned," Gevas said. "We have an incredible line up of drag performers, especially on Sunday which is directly after our parade. We are not backing down."
Pride organizers said all of their planned performances are family friendly.
"While we want to have amazing, engaging performers, we know that there are children around," Gevas said. "We know there are things that are absolutely age appropriate and things that are not."
Said Rep. Fine: "I'm certain many components of those kind of events will be perfectly fine. But I will tell you it's not hard to find examples of allegedly family friendly events which ain't family friendly!"
