DeSantis' Drag Show Fiasco and Hate Crimes on Rise
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Sure, everyone is entitled to any opinion they choose. But when they start trying to impose that opinion as law on everyone around them, that opinion is no longer just a matter of free speech entitlement, but necessitates rigorous proof that it is a worthwhile opinion. They can no longer claim their opinion is “good” just because they have the right to say it, they must now make a case for its superiority over other opinions. Not through popularity or emotion or religion, but with factual evidence. Pretty much the same process those same people would demand if they were on trial.
No, we don’t get to “agree to disagree” when the discussions get intense or complicated. We don’t get to walk away in false triumph. We have to use the reason we’re always bragging about that lifts us above other animals and not just raise a leg to piss on what we don’t like.
In 1749 Benjamin Franklin first described his idea for the lightning rod. At the time, lightning strikes could not only destroy buildings and start fires in towns, they killed hundreds. Nevertheless, many religious leaders preached against the lightning rod (which Franklin didn’t patent) because it interfered with God’s judgement. This despite the fact that since churches were often the tallest buildings in towns, they were struck most often, killing bell ringers in the process. Eventually, reason and science won out and buildings and lives were saved.
But that same self-righteous fuzzy thinking still prevails today under the guise of “saving our children.” The truth is, that is exactly what is harming them. Read on and see what I mean.
Politics: Kind of a Drag
Undercover agents saw nothing ‘lewd’ at Orlando drag show. Florida is going after venue anyway (Miami Herald)
SUMMARY: “When the historic Plaza Live theater in Orlando hosted an event last December called ‘A Drag Queen Christmas,’ the show drew a full house, noisy street demonstrators — and a small squad of undercover state agents there to document whether children were being exposed to sights that ran afoul of Florida’s decency law.
“The Dec. 28 performance featured campy skits like ‘Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Man Deer’ and shimmying, bare-chested men who wouldn’t have been out of place at a Madonna concert. Also a hip thrust or two, similar to what is sometimes indulged in by NFL players after a touchdown. All of it was dutifully recorded by the undercover agents on state-issued iPhones.
“But while the agents took photos of three minors at the Orlando drag show — who appeared to be accompanied by adults — they acknowledged that nothing indecent had happened on stage, according to an incident report obtained exclusively by the Miami Herald.
“‘Besides some of the outfits being provocative (bikinis and short shorts), agents did not witness any lewd acts such as exposure of genital organs,’ the brief report stated. ‘The performers did not have any physical contact while performing to the rhythm of the music with any patrons.’
“Still, the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation proceeded to file a complaint against the nonprofit that runs Plaza Live, claiming the venue had illegally exposed children to sexual content. The complaint, issued Feb. 3, seeks to strip the small, nonprofit theater of its liquor license — a serious blow that would likely put it out of business.
“It’s all part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statewide crackdown on drag shows, which could escalate further as legislators draft new laws to tighten restrictions on venues that allow minors into those performances. DeSantis has said he believes ‘sexualized’ drag shows are dangerous for kids.”
MY TAKE: A quick review of priorities: The GOP rejects President Biden’s national budget which could lead to the U.S. defaulting thereby triggering a catastrophic economic crisis, yet they refuse his requests for a budget proposal of their own to even begin discussions. Instead, Republican states across the country busy themselves by banning stuff: books, art, education, abortion pills, voting access—and, of course, the most deadly of all: drag shows.
Males impersonating females have a long tradition in our popular culture (remember from high school, all Shakespeare’s female characters were played by male actors). Milton Berle delighted America in the 1950s with his drag routines on Texaco Star Theater. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were comedy hits in the smart and subversive Some Like It Hot. Benny Hill did drag for international audiences. More recently, RuPaul made drag more sophisticated, witty, and accessible.
So why are Republicans sharpening their pitchforks now? Because this isn’t about drag shows. No reasonable human being actually thinks that watching a man on a stage dressed as a woman will affect anyone’s orientation who wasn’t already predisposed to be affected. This is about the process of intimidation and suppression. It’s about maximizing publicity because, as every promoter knows, sex sells, and they are selling an entire agenda of restrictive laws based on something that seems inconsequential to mainstream America. Most people don’t attend drag shows so they don’t see it as a great loss if they disappear. That is how it always works: take something small, destroy it with lies and bad logic, then move on to the next, bigger group—absorbing each like a fundamentalist Borg.
Look at the facts in this case: 1. Undercover cops saw nothing wrong, yet, DeSantis is still going after their liquor license to destroy their business. Based on what reasoning? That’s more Mafia boss than political leader. 2. The article says, “DeSantis has said he believes ‘sexualized’ drag shows are dangerous for kids.” He has provided no evidence—studies, experts, facts—that concur with this vague belief. Also, he would have to define what he means by “dangerous.” Does he expect mass conversions to cross-dressing? 3. If the intention is to protect minors, why not simply treat it like an R-rated movie and require adult supervision for children under 17? If DeSantis—and other Republican sex gatekeepers—want to be consistent, shouldn’t they be going after movie theaters, streaming services, and movie studios with sexual content? They won’t, not when they can bully the little kid on their way home from school.
Our job is to make sure that little kid never walks alone. That’s how you really protect the children.