Florida Republican defends anti-drag measure even if it means ‘erasing a community’

A Florida Republican on Wednesday doubled down on a controversial anti-drag bill.

State Rep. Randy Fine, a proponent of SB 1438, the so-called “Protection of Children Act” that would ban anyone under 18 years of age from attending a drag show, argued during a debate on the House floor that "if it means erasing a community, because you have to target children, then damn right we outta do it."

Fine didn’t identify the community he supports “erasing,” but SB 1438 targets Florida’s LGBTQ community, The New Republic reports.

The bill would also prevent anyone under 18 from attending The Rocky Horror Picture Show or the musical Hair, the report said.

Rep. Angela Nixon, a Florida Democrat, said under the law she can’t take her child to the Hamburger Mary’s restaurant, which according to its website features entertainment including a “Dining with the Divas” drag show.

Fine said he’s OK with that.

“If Hamburger Mary’s, whatever they are, is engaged in ‘adult live performances’ as defined by section 827.11 under this bill, then yeah, you couldn’t do that. I don’t know whether they are or not,” Fine said.

Nixon called the measure “disgusting.”

“This is a disgusting bill and is designed to target parents like me,” Nixon said.

“It will – like everything – be selectively enforced by the state to target members of the LGBTQ community, as we’ve already seen, with DPBR taking away licenses of venues that host drag shows – that were not lewd and that were very family friendly.”

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