Jacob Ogles
Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed Florida will resist allowing children to attend a drag show at Naples Pride. The vow came a day after U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds urged the city of Naples to fight a court ruling permitting the show.
U.S. District Judge John Steele, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, ruled earlier this month that Naples city officials cannot prohibit a drag performance from being held at an outdoor venue, Cambier Park. He also declined to stay his ruling while Naples appeals the decision. The Pride festival is scheduled to kick off June 7.
But Donalds issued a statement to WINK News urging the city to challenge that ruling to the highest court in the land.
“You have to be an adult to enter a strip club, but Clinton-appointed Judge John Steele wants sexually explicit drag shows to take place next to a popular children’s playground in Naples,” Donalds said. “This ruling is atrocious and the City of Naples should appeal this case to the Supreme Court.”
An attorney for Naples Pride said the drag show is protected by the First Amendment.
“Drag performances are a protected form of expression — period. The district court’s decision is thoughtful, well-reasoned, and firmly rooted in longstanding constitutional principles,” said Callhan Soldavini, an attorney with Legal Aid Service of Collier County who represents Naples Pride.
Importantly, state courts struck down an anti-drag law signed by DeSantis, and a federal appellate court upheld that decision this month.
But DeSantis, when asked at a Fort Myers press conference about the Naples show, promised Florida will continue fighting any attempt to open a drag show to all ages.
“We are going to protect the innocence of our children,” he said. “Why would it be problematic to say you can’t do this stuff that’s sexually explicit in front of minors that used to not even be something that would be questioned? Now, somehow you have folks going into court and they really want to push the envelope on this stuff, and I want Florida to be family friendly.”
Notably, Naples Pride has promised its show will be appropriate for all ages.
DeSantis characterized the fight as part of an effort to extend parental rights in Florida, though notably no one is forcing any children to attend Naples Pride.
“We laid down the marker here so parents in Florida should know that we’re on their side,” he said. “These kids should not be robbed of their innocence. So when you have some of this stuff where you’d have these establishments where you could have minors in there, and that’s not consistent with good policy, we stand for the protection of the children, and we’re going to continue to do that.”
Naples Pride organizers expressed confidence they will win in court at all levels where the case is heard.
Soldavini questioned Donalds attacking Steele by name, and said it was part of a larger trend of politicians attacking the judiciary branch.
“When politicians attack a federal judge simply because they disagree with the outcome, they contribute to a troubling and dangerous trend — one that seeks to erode public trust in the judiciary and undermine the very foundations of our democracy,” Soldavini said. “Naples Pride will continue to stand for free speech and the rule of law, which safeguards the rights of all people.”
8 comments
Chuck Anziulewicz
May 29, 2025 at 1:17 pm
Ron DeSantis and others are wrong when they say ALL drag shows are “sexually explicit.” Drag typically consists of people dressing in extravagant outfits, wigs and makeup, and dancing and lip-syncing to popular songs. As an artform it has been around forever. Sure, you might see elements of risque comedy in a drag show at a Gay bar, but I’m sure that will not be the case at Cambier Park. The performers aren’t going to give anyone anything “explicit” to complain about.
CONSIDER: Any teenage girl can take a portable stereo in to a public park, dance and lip-sync to Lady Gaga songs, and it would be okay. But if a drag performer does exactly the same thing, it’s somehow “obscene?” Sorry, but there’s no Constitutional justification for that kind of double standard. You can’t criminalize performers for their costumes.
Rachel Weidner
May 30, 2025 at 10:27 am
I attended the Naples Pride event 2 years in a row, and I noticed that it isn’t solely focused on Pride. Families bring their children to the park, and the stage is visible from the swing sets. I witnessed a man in a thong performing provocative dance moves for the audience. In my opinion, parents should reconsider bringing their kids to such events. This concern is one of the main reasons there have been requests for the venue to be adults-only, especially considering past performances. Additionally, I wonder why Pride wouldn’t consider making the drag queen show a paid event. Charging at the door could generate more revenue instead of offering it for free.
Ocean Joe
May 29, 2025 at 1:59 pm
The fetish these guys seem to have is almost as nutty as crossdressers wanting to do all that stuff outside in the Florida heat.
If Nazis can exercise their free speech in Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville near public streets and highways and not receive a PEEP of opposition from Mr. Desantis, not sure why these harmless weirdos cant do the same thing.
Ocean Joe
May 29, 2025 at 1:59 pm
The fetish these guys seem to have is almost as nutty as crossdressers wanting to do all that stuff outside in the Florida heat.
If Nazis can exercise their free speech in Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville near public streets and highways and not receive a PEEP of opposition from Mr. Desantis, not sure why these harmless weirdos cant do the same thing.
Mme DoGood
May 30, 2025 at 6:51 am
So the Madame Doubtfire book would be banned and the movie would be rated R by these guys?
Rachel Weidner
May 30, 2025 at 10:38 am
Madame Doubtfire was not wearing sexually explicit clothes and twerking. The premise behind the storyline was to be able to stay in his children’s life as their nanny.
cassandra was right
May 31, 2025 at 11:47 am
Right! You see that drag is not scary. Your children probably already enjoy it!
Real question now: how to explain to your six year old daughter why the transMAN is in the women’s bathroom with her..???
Rona is a drag
May 30, 2025 at 9:25 am
I’m not sure how Rona parading around in his white rubber boots isn’t properly considered a “drag show.” Why do Rona and Donald’s Duck feel so insecure in their masculinity? How come in the “free State of Florida” the government has any business telling us that we have to dress in traditional gender clothes? If someone, whether in drag or otherwise, exposes private parts then that person can be arrested under existing law. How is it legal for men to go topless at the beach but illegal for women to do so? What perverse male mind decided that female breasts are a sexual organ when the exist to nurture an infant? DeSatan and Donald’s Duck live in a twisted fantasy world where anyone who doesn’t conform to their beliefs is a criminal. May they rot in Hell!
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