PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (LifeSiteNews) — Event organizers in a Florida city scrapped plans for a gay “pride” parade this weekend after the GOP-led Florida House of Representatives sent a bill to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk that would ban drag shows and other sexually explicit performances in venues where children are present. The move comes as DeSantis, who is expected to sign the measure into law, continues to rack up sizable wins among social conservatives ahead of a much-anticipated presidential campaign launch.
In an April 19 announcement, the LGBT group Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast, Inc. said they opted to cancel their “beloved parade” set to take place in Port St. Lucie, Florida this weekend out of concern about the impacts of the new law. They also implemented a 21-and-older age requirement for their “Pridefest” event after “multiple meetings with city officials,” adding the changes were made “with a heavy heart.”
“As all of you know, the political climate that we are currently in has us all very concerned for our community,” the group said.
“The city has decided that with the likelihood that the Governor will sign the latest bill into effect this evening, that we will need to be on the side of caution and has required us to make this necessary change,” they continued. “We are obviously upset and dishearten[ed] that it has come to this.”
Daily Wire podcaster Matt Walsh, who has helped bring widespread public and legislative attention to the sexual indoctrination and transgender mutilation of children, hailed the cancellation of the pride parade as “[a]nother huge victory.”
“Congratulations to Florida,” Walsh said.
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In their statement, the LGBT activists sought to ensure that their supporters recognize “that this is definitely not what we wanted at all and are working with the city to assure our safety as well as produce a positive event.” The group said it also plans to host a “family friendly Party in the Park” soon in which “our youth can celebrate who they are as well in conjunction with the Sanctuary of the Treasure Coast.”
It’s unclear whether a plan for a youth-centered pride party will come to fruition given the language of the new law awaiting DeSantis’ signature.
SB 1438, known as the Child Protection Act, bars venues from allowing children to attend an “adult live performance” defined as “any show, exhibition, or other presentation in front of a live audience which, in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or specific sexual activities.”
Under the law, any performance at which children are in attendance that includes “lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts” is forbidden when it: “Predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest; Is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community of this state as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for the age of the child present; and Taken as a whole, is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for the age of the child present.”
Violations of the law would constitute “an immediate, serious danger to the public health, safety, or welfare,” authorizing the state to levy fines, pursue criminal charges, and pull the liquor licenses of noncompliant venues.
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As LifeSiteNews has extensively reported, the issues addressed in the Florida law have taken on increased national importance as conservatives have raised the alarm about young children being subjected to sexually perverted performances put on by men dressed up as exaggerated versions of women.
In addition to exposing children to inappropriate sexual acts, at least some of the performers have extremely disturbing backgrounds.
Last year, a “genderqueer” “drag queen” was charged with 25 counts of child pornography. A transvestite performer who was invited to the White House had previously participated in a “family friendly” drag brunch, where he sang to a two-year-old boy while clad in highly sexualized garb.
RuPaul Andre Charles, host of the drag queen RuPaul’s Drag Race last month seemed to give further credence to parents’ concerns about the forceful nature of the LGBT agenda aimed at kids when he argued that “Drag queens are the Marines of the queer movement.”
The Florida LGBT group’s decision to cancel and adjust parts of its planned performance is just the latest development in the Republican-led state’s moves to kick radical LGBT ideology to the curb and protect the Sunshine State’s kids.
This week, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) approved rules expanding the ban on LGBT indoctrination for young children from its initial range of kindergarten through third grade to now extend throughout elementary, middle, and high school.
“Gender ideology has no place in our K-12 school system,” DeSantis said during a North Charleston, South Carolina rally on Wednesday.
“It is wrong for a teacher to tell a student that they may have been born in the wrong body or that their gender is a choice. And so we don’t let that happen in Florida,” DeSantis continued. “We’re going to do normal school like everyone did for the whole history of our country — until like two hours ago.”
Under DeSantis, Republican-led state has also banned destructive transgender drugs and surgeries for minors and protected women’s sports by banning men from competing against women.
Though DeSantis has not yet stated that he’s running for the U.S. presidency in 2024, he is widely anticipated to announce his candidacy after the end of Florida’s current legislative session in May.