“To avoid action being taken against your license, it is your obligation to ensure that minors are prohibited from attending the Drag Fans drag show,” wrote Melanie Griffin, secretary of DBPR.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has notified multiple venues around the state that they must keep minors out of an explicit Christmas drag show or face loss of business licenses.
In a letter addressed to the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza, which hosts an orchestra as well as other shows and events including an all-ages "A Drag Queen Christmas," Governor Ron DeSantis' agency handed down a stern warning.
"The Department has reason to believe this drag show is of sexual nature, involving the exposure or exhibition of sexual organs, simulated sexual activity, and/or the sexualization of children's stories," wrote Melanie Griffin, secretary of DBPR.
"Sexually explicit drag show performances constitute public nuisances, lewd activity, and disorderly conduct when minors are in attendance," she continued.
"To avoid action being taken against your license, it is your obligation to ensure that minors are prohibited from attending the Drag Fans drag show."
On the website for the Orlando venue, the event is designated as "all ages."
Similar letters were also delivered to venues in Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
"A Drag Queen Christmas," a tour hosted by the drag events company Drag Fans, has been under investigation from Florida's DBPR since Tuesday, when they announced that they are "aware of multiple complaints about a sexually explicit performance marketed to children held in Fort Lauderdale on December 26th."
The Fort Lauderdale event erupted when local independent reporter Chris Nelson shouted at the performers for including minors in their sexually-charged show.
"It's not right!," Nelson can be heard yelling in a video he posted to Twitter. "There are children!"
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