Supreme Court Blocks Enforcement of Florida’s Anti-Drag Show Law
In a recent decision, the Supreme Court has refused to allow Florida to enforce its new law targeting drag shows while a court case proceeds. The law, championed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, aimed to punish venues for allowing children into what it deemed “adult live performances.”
The law, which did not specifically mention drag shows but was targeted at those performances, faced staunch opposition from Hamburger Mary’s restaurant in Orlando. The restaurant regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that are open to children. The owner of Hamburger Mary’s argued that the law was overly broad, written vaguely, and violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech.
Last month, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s order stopping the law from being enforced statewide. The district court found that the law likely restricted free speech and could not be enforced anywhere in the state. Florida had sought to have the law enforced everywhere except at Hamburger Mary’s but the Supreme Court refused to grant this request.
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has been a vocal supporter of the law. The legislation imposed fines on venues that allowed children into adult live performances and also threatened the suspension or revocation of their liquor licenses. Individuals could also be charged with a misdemeanor crime for violating the law.
While the case continues to make its way through the court system, the Supreme Court’s decision effectively blocks Florida from enforcing the controversial law, providing a temporary victory for supporters of drag shows and free speech.