Drag queens say Florida venues are turning them away after Gov. Ron DeSantis pulled the liquor license of a hotel for hosting a drag show.
Last week, the state moved to revoke Hyatt Regency Miami's liquor license over hosting "A Drag Queen Christmas" show on December 27, which allowed people under the age of 18 to attend if accompanied by an adult.
Now, local drag queens say other venues are afraid to host drag shows, over fear of retribution from the DeSantis administration.
"The damage has already been done," a drag performer who goes by the name of Venus Envy told Insider. "Not just in terms of limiting opportunities for drag entertainers, but by demonizing the art of drag as a whole. We, as a community, are scared. Not just for our jobs, but for our right to exist as queer and trans people."
According to the 17-page complaint filed by the state against Hyatt Regency Miami, the drag show exposed minors to X-rated themes and "lewd activity," like performing simulated sexual acts, depictions of childbirth and abortion, and "performers forcibly penetrating or rubbing their exposed prosthetic female breasts against the faces or oral cavities of audience members."
The show also contained "perverted versions of popular children's Christmas songs," according to the complaint.
"These included an adaptation of 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth' that contained portrayals of oral fellatio, as well as the line 'I'll sit on his lap, he can put his milk and cookies all between my gap,'" the complaint says.
Rather than call attention to the show's sexually explicit content
or acknowledge that it might not be appropriate for children, promotional materials for the show stated "all ages welcome," according to the complaint. The state says it warned the venue and show operators beforehand that penalties would be forthcoming -- including the revocation of its liquor license -- if minors were allowed to attend. Although advertising materials were updated to say the show was recommended for audiences 18+, the state says minors -- some appearing under the age of 16 -- were "knowingly admitted" to the show.
"The nature of the show's performances, particularly when conducted in the presence of young children, corrupts the public morals and outrages the sense of public decency," the complaint says.
The complaint lists six counts supporting state regulators' ability to revoke the hotel's liquor license, including violating laws against public nuisances, disorderly conduct and unlawful exposure of sexual organs.
Operators for Hyatt Regency Miami said the event took place at the city-owned James L. Knight Center, which is managed by third-party operators while the hotel provides food and beverage concessions.
"We can confirm the hotel's liquor license remains in effect and has not been revoked," Amir Blattner, the hotel's general manager, said in a statement to the Miami Herald. "We are reviewing this complaint and will address the situation directly with the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation as part of administrative review process."
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