DeSantis, Florida agency pursues Miami hotel for drag show
Ron DeSantis and Florida regulators move to strip a Miami hotel of its liquor license after it provided alcohol at a Christmas-themed costume show the state labeled ‘lewd, vulgar and indecent’
- The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation took action to strip a Miami hotel of its liquor license over a drag show
- The hotel provided alcohol to attendees of a Christmas-themed drag show on January 27, which the state argued was attended by minors.
- A court filing filed Tuesday called the show “lewd, vulgar and indecent” and showed the Hyatt Regency Miami had been given advance warning.
Under Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ anti-‘wake’ agenda, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation moved to strip a Miami hotel of its liquor license after it provided alcohol to patrons at a show of transvestites with a Christmas theme.
In a new court filing filed Tuesday, the state agency argued that the Hyatt Regency Miami should be punished as a seller of alcoholic beverages for the Dec. 27 performance of “A Drag Queen Christmas,” a touring production that made multiple stops in Florida. last year.
The queens performed at the adjacent James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, but the Hyatt Regency provided the alcohol.
The filing described the Christmas-themed show as “lewd, vulgar and indecent” and presented evidence that minors were present.
He said the performers were “penetrating or rubbing their exposed prosthetic female breasts against audience members’ faces or oral cavities” and sang songs including “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer.”
A Florida agency is going after the Hyatt Regency Miami after the hotel provided alcohol at a December 27 performance of ‘A Drag Queen Christmas.’ An Instagram post shows some of the queens who performed at the show.
An advertisement for the drag show that is jeopardizing a Miami hotel’s liquor license. A Florida agency called the show ‘lewd, vulgar and indecent’ and presented evidence that minors were present.
The lawsuit also alleges that the Florida DBPR contacted the Hyatt Recency Miami on December 27, the date of the presentation, warning the hotel that the liquor license would be in jeopardy if any minors attended the show.
“Sexually explicit drag show performances constitute public nuisance, lewd activity and disorderly conduct when attended by minors,” wrote DBPR Secretary Melanie S. Griffin.
“To prevent action against your license, it is your obligation to ensure that minors are prohibited from attending the Drag Fans show,” the letter continues. “If minors are allowed to attend this drag performance, the Department will take all available steps to ensure it does not pose a threat to minors in the future.”
An advertisement for the show originally stated that “all ages” were welcome, and later said that the performance was recommended for ages 18 and over.
A photograph was included in the court file showing two female assistants, one of whom had a blurred face because she was allegedly a minor.
Hyatt spokespersons did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
The move is the latest way DeSantis’ Florida agencies have targeted the LGBTQI community, accusing drag performers of presenting lewd sexual content to minors.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to a crowd in Davenport, Iowa, on Friday as he tests the presidential waters. At the event, DeSantis pushed for transgender education in schools. His government continues to go after drag performances in the state.
DeSantis, as he potentially prepares a 2024 presidential run, has also gone after transgenderism taught in schools and trans athletes participating in women’s sports.
‘It’s wrong to tell a second grader that he was born in the wrong body. It is wrong for gender ideology to be imposed in our schools, and in Florida we don’t allow that to happen,” DeSantis said Friday during a stop in Davenport, Iowa.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre went after DeSantis and other “extremist” Republicans during Friday’s press conference, saying their attack on “awakening” is not a political position, but “despicable” and actually “hate”.
“This is about attacking, we are talking about young children and their parents. Because of how they see themselves. Because of how they see themselves. For how they want to live. The children and their parents,’ said Jean-Pierre.