Tampa Pride on the River cancelled after DeSantis signs 4 anti-LGBTQ laws on 1 day
dallasvoice.comFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis throws markers into the audience after signing various bills during a bill signing ceremony at the Coastal Community Church at Lighthouse Point May 16 in Lighthouse Point, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) On Thursday, May 18 — the same day that the New York Times published a breaking news report noting that “Disney is pulling the plug on a nearly $1 billion development planned for Orlando” because of Gov.
Ron DeSantis’ attacks on the company, costing the area an estimated 2,000 new jobs — organizers for Tampa Pride on the River announced they are cancelling the event because of the recent expansion of what Republicans call the “Parental Rights in Education Act” and everybody else calls the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Tampa Pride on the River, originally scheduled for September, traditionally attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Tampa’s Riverwalk and Armature Works area and was one of the region’s largest Pride celebrations.
HB-1438, which DeSantis signed into law on Wednesday, May 17, allows the state to “fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment if the establishment admits a child to an adult live performance.” Even though drag is not explicitly mentioned in the new law, a handout from DeSantis’ office specifically states that drag shows are considered live adult performances “without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for the age of the child present,”according to News Channel 8 in Tampa.
