The administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has filed a 17-page complaint seeking to revoke the liquor license of the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting “A Drag Queen Christmas” show on December 27, 2022. The complaint argues that the hotel violated Florida statutes on lewdness by hosting the show, citing a 1947 state Supreme Court case that found “men impersonating women” to constitute a public nuisance. The complaint further alleges that the hotel exposed children to “simulated sexual activity, and lewd, vulgar, and indecent displays.”
The event was part of a larger holiday-themed drag show tour featuring several stars from the Emmy-winning competition show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The tour took place across 36 U.S. cities and permitted minors if accompanied by an adult. Amir Blattner, the general manager for Hyatt Regency Miami, said in a statement that the hotel is reviewing the complaint, and its liquor license remains in effect.
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This is not the first time that the DeSantis administration has filed a complaint against a Florida venue for hosting a drag show. The administration previously filed a similar complaint against Miami restaurant R House and the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation for hosting Christmas-themed drag events. So far this year, lawmakers in at least 16 states, including Florida, have proposed legislation that would restrict drag performances, largely banning them in the presence of minors.
Critics say these bills unfairly target the art form, which has deep ties to the LGBTQ community, and violate the constitutional rights of free speech and free expression. Former Florida state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, a gay Democrat who has been an outspoken critic of the DeSantis administration, described efforts to restrict drag performances as part of “an ongoing effort to marginalize LGBTQ people and their allies.”
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