Posts
Action.
Reaction.
I hear that drag performers are going to protest a done deal today.
Florida has passed and the governor is going to sign a law that makes drag shows adult entertainment and can affect the business licenses of venues where drag shows are performed.
It's probably an overreaction on the part of the legislature, but...
It's a reaction, not an action.
I've read interviews from some of the drag performers and it's apparent that they aren't the scumbags that should be punished.
There were drag shows here and there and hardly anyone gave a fuck.
Then the scumbags dragged the kids into it.
Dragging the kids into it definitely causes a reaction and scumbags immediately begin countering that reaction.
Measure.
Countermeasure.
Counter-Countermeasure.
Until, the baby is thrown out with the bathwater and people who weren't causing the problem are punished right alongside the scumbags.
As gun owners, we should be familiar with this.
BUT.
Is this law really that bad? So far I've seen nobody cite the text and the author isn't coming across as someone who hates drag queens because they've got an invisible friend whispering in their ear.
Here's the meat.
827.11 Exposing children to an adult live performance.—
(1) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Adult live performance” means 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 as those terms are defined in s. 847.001, lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts when it: 1. Predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest; 2. 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 3. Taken as a whole, is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for the age of the child present. (b) “Knowingly” means having general knowledge of, reason to know, or a belief or ground for belief which warrants further inspection or inquiry of both: 1. The character and content of any adult live performance described in this section which is reasonably susceptible of examination by the defendant; and 2. The age of the child. (2) A person’s ignorance of a child’s age, a child’s misrepresentation of his or her age, or a bona fide belief of a child’s consent may not be raised as a defense in a prosecution for a violation of this section. (3) A person may not knowingly admit a child to an adult live performance. (4) A violation of subsection (3) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 127 775.083.
It's mite subjective. Perhaps unconstitutionally vague.
Except. Click that link to 847.001. This is going to pass muster.
On the face, there's nothing that keeps a venue from having a drag show. There's nothing that bans drag queens from working at those shows.
What they need to do is keep the kids out.
Will that be hard? I do not know. I hope it's easy. I PRAY that it's easy to keep kids out.
The thing that needs to be addressed is this will have a chilling effect on places having drag shows which are fine with banning children and the proper licenses will not be sought.
Another thing that needs addressed is this will also be the excuse many religious kooks with government jobs will use to not issue the licenses in the first place.
The number of full-liquor bars, strip clubs and pawn shops are fixed in most Florida counties by the licensing agencies. You cannot open a new one unless an existing one goes away.
The drag queens protesting are correct, this is the end of their livelihood.
I do ask, though, where were they when the grooming scandals first hit? I don't recall a "drag queens against child molestation" organization or protest.
Shoulda got in front of this.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment you fucking moron! Too stupid to read, so you spew shit?
DeleteToo cowardly to sign your work?
As a matter of fact, you worthless piece of shit, The Boy *IS* a victim of molestation. The fucker that did it is in jail, where he belongs.
But that doesn't mean I want everyone with a tangential resemblance to the perpetrator jailed. That's unjust and criminal in its own right.
Back in the day, I went to some drag shows with friends. Funny, they were all at local gay bars, and there were straights and gays there for to watch the show. All adults, no children. Pay a cover charge, buy a drink, enjoy the show, listen to some decent electronic and dance music.
ReplyDeleteFine. Everything's fine. Worked well.
But then, as you said, someone decided to drag the children into it. Would not have been an issue if it was just Liza and Babs impersonators, but they had to get San Fran Freaky with the shows and that's when they jumped the shark.
And now it's too late to stuff everything back to where it was before the child sexualizing started.
You know what? I'm fine with the law. I'm fine with the overreaction. It's about time that somebody stopped the oversexualization and perversion of children.
Double plus if it twists the nips (in a wrong way) of the freaks and geeks at Disney. They've been pushing garbage down for too long upon kids and acting like it's normal.
And then there's the classic reason, equal enforcement. If you can't take a kid to a strip club or a burlesque theater, why should you be able to take a kid to a Drag show? There are some limits that should not be crossed.
Yes. Personal responsibility, blah, blah, blah. I agree, in a sane world the parents and children would be able to access just about anything they want. This is not a sane world. This world is one where stealing from a store is acceptable in most metropolitan areas, and forming large swarms to completely loot is an uncriminal behavior, while the store taking measures to stop theft and looting is considered 'criminal' or at least anti-society.
Sigh.
But... you know... the freaks and geeks kept pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing, and now the silent majority is pushing back. Each person may not have much push, but the majority, if banded together, can push real hard.
Maybe next time the outliers of society will listen when the silent majority tell them, repeatedly, that what the outliers are doing doesn't cut the mustard, so maybe the outliers need to calm down and quit pushing.
By the way, Anonymous, see how easy it is to follow the rules here? No cussing, a 'name' that people know me by, and I won't get banned or removed. Angus may disagree with me and tell me to shove my head in a bucket of melted lead, but he won't remove the comment. See statements about pushing the edge...
Reading the post and responding like an adult dramatically increases the odds of a dissenting opinion being posted.
DeleteBut we're not really disagreeing, Beans.
No, we are participating in learned discourse, just like the Founding Fathers wanted us to. We discuss, we disagree, we argue, we deal in facts more than feelings and still can go out for a drink afterwards (well, electronically, that is, as we haven't met in real life.)
DeleteThe people who put feelings and their agendas above facts and logical conversation have screwed up everything.
The critical and forgotten point in every political movement is knowing when to stop. This applies to the Jacobins and MADD, every bit as much as ast LGBT rights. Consenting adults in private can do whatever, but public kink crosses the line. Drag shows with adult performers in adult only spaces are entertainment, drag ahows with children or in libraries and schools is exploitation and over the line. Push too far and you get a reaction. Worse, the reaction may undo all those hard fought gains.
ReplyDelete