The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to immediately clear the way for Florida officials to enforce a state law aimed at prohibiting children from attending certain live drag shows.
A lower court had blocked the law statewide, saying it likely violated the First Amendment and was “specifically designed to suppress the speech of drag queen performers.”
In a statement accompanying the Supreme Court order, two justices who were in the majority — Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — said the decision does not reflect their view about whether Florida’s law violates the First Amendment.
Three other justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Neil M. Gorsuch — indicated they would have allowed the law to take effect while the litigation continues.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, in May signed the measure prohibiting the admission of children into any sexually explicit show that could be considered obscene based on the age of the child.
The law does not specifically mention drag shows, but allows state officials to impose fines and suspend the business and liquor licenses of restaurants that allow children to attend performances that include lewd exposure to “prosthetic genitals and breasts.”
The blame for allowing these children to view inappropriate material should fall on the parents. Not the performer and not the venue.
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Oh no, the poor children of Florida, what will become of them?
> U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell noted that Florida law currently permits any minor to attend an R-rated film at a movie theater if accompanied by a parent or guardian — films, he said, which “routinely convey content at least as objectionable” as that covered by the new law.
The only answers I ever get to this point all boil down to “well this is different”.
They did a good thing, keep it up!
Would hooters been forced to shut down because of this law?
Don’t worry, the conservatives are already trying to line up more extreme replacements, to prevent the horrifying possibility of there being *law* in Supreme court decisions.
After all, that would mean there is a possibility that their decisions don’t align with conservatism.
Staring to think Florida might have elected a loser.
It’s clearly violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments. No judge would rule in favor of this stupid law.
Supreme court is just protecting destantis. Ya’ll seen those shoes.
Guess they didn’t want to drag this out further.
Man, desantis is racking up so many Ls, it’ll be hard to tell him and trump apart in the end
ahh. the supreme court had a moment of clarity. probably wont last long.
Now bring back the restrictions against teacher and professor unions
What else would you expect from a bunch of guys who dress up in robes all day?
It was always performative and was never intended to be a real law, it blatantly violated the first amendment and they knew that from day one. The whole point was for DeSantis to get on the TV and look like a conservative hero because he was bashing up trans people.
So is Florida going to ban truck nuts?
Disgusting
The governor wears heels. That’s probably a drag show under these laws…
Oof, that’s gonna hurt the DeSantis donors’ confidence.
Now they know he can’t play ball with the Supreme Court. That’s a whole ass government house disadvantage if he was president.
Why even bother at that point?
You know people are starving in the world and we’re arguing about whether kids can see men dress as women for theater…
Drag shows were legal when the constitution was ratified. That should be dispositive for the original intent jurists.
26 comments
**From Ann E. Marimow:**
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to immediately clear the way for Florida officials to enforce a state law aimed at prohibiting children from attending certain live drag shows.
A lower court had blocked the law statewide, saying it likely violated the First Amendment and was “specifically designed to suppress the speech of drag queen performers.”
In a statement accompanying the Supreme Court order, two justices who were in the majority — Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — said the decision does not reflect their view about whether Florida’s law violates the First Amendment.
Three other justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Neil M. Gorsuch — indicated they would have allowed the law to take effect while the litigation continues.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, in May signed the measure prohibiting the admission of children into any sexually explicit show that could be considered obscene based on the age of the child.
The law does not specifically mention drag shows, but allows state officials to impose fines and suspend the business and liquor licenses of restaurants that allow children to attend performances that include lewd exposure to “prosthetic genitals and breasts.”
**Read more here, and skip the paywall with email registration:** [**https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/16/florida-drag-show-law-supreme-court/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/16/florida-drag-show-law-supreme-court/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)
Which Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court?
…for now.
The blame for allowing these children to view inappropriate material should fall on the parents. Not the performer and not the venue.
[deleted]
[removed]
Oh no, the poor children of Florida, what will become of them?
> U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell noted that Florida law currently permits any minor to attend an R-rated film at a movie theater if accompanied by a parent or guardian — films, he said, which “routinely convey content at least as objectionable” as that covered by the new law.
The only answers I ever get to this point all boil down to “well this is different”.
They did a good thing, keep it up!
Would hooters been forced to shut down because of this law?
Don’t worry, the conservatives are already trying to line up more extreme replacements, to prevent the horrifying possibility of there being *law* in Supreme court decisions.
After all, that would mean there is a possibility that their decisions don’t align with conservatism.
Staring to think Florida might have elected a loser.
It’s clearly violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments. No judge would rule in favor of this stupid law.
Supreme court is just protecting destantis. Ya’ll seen those shoes.
Guess they didn’t want to drag this out further.
Man, desantis is racking up so many Ls, it’ll be hard to tell him and trump apart in the end
ahh. the supreme court had a moment of clarity. probably wont last long.
Now bring back the restrictions against teacher and professor unions
What else would you expect from a bunch of guys who dress up in robes all day?
It was always performative and was never intended to be a real law, it blatantly violated the first amendment and they knew that from day one. The whole point was for DeSantis to get on the TV and look like a conservative hero because he was bashing up trans people.
So is Florida going to ban truck nuts?
Disgusting
The governor wears heels. That’s probably a drag show under these laws…
Oof, that’s gonna hurt the DeSantis donors’ confidence.
Now they know he can’t play ball with the Supreme Court. That’s a whole ass government house disadvantage if he was president.
Why even bother at that point?
You know people are starving in the world and we’re arguing about whether kids can see men dress as women for theater…
Drag shows were legal when the constitution was ratified. That should be dispositive for the original intent jurists.