Supreme Court won’t allow Florida to enforce law targeting drag shows during appeal

The Supreme Court ruled that Florida can’t enforce the law keeping children out of drag shows while it was being challenged.

Chris Schmeckpeper-Kobzina with GLSEN Collier believes this is good news. “It shows that the court recognizes that there are First Amendment rights that need to be upheld,” they said.

What it means for the time being is that the law is not in effect. Most LGBTQ+ groups, like Naples Pride, who host drag shows, were concerned about this law because they felt it was overly broad and felt that it was specifically targeting drag shows as opposed to other things.

• RELATED: Supreme Court won’t allow Florida to enforce law targeting drag shows during appeal

“I’m also a parent of two little boys that are five and six, and our five-year-old, loves, loves, loves drag shows. And so last year, we went to pride, and he wasn’t able to see drag queens, and he was a whole tangent, it was a big deal,” said Daniel Shaw, director of the Collier Youth Pride Conference (GLSEN).

He said the ruling is great news for the LGBTQ+ community and their families.

“I think the biggest thing is just to create an inclusive community where everybody can be who they are, and embrace who they are and feel confident and comfortable doing so,” said Shaw.

This summer, a U.S. district judge even issued a statewide preliminary injunction against the law, saying it violated First Amendment rights, and the ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Orlando restaurant and bar Hamburger Mary’s.

WINK News asked UCF political professor Aubrey Jewett, what happens now?

“What we have now is the legal battle continues. The court actually now will have to make a ruling on the merits of the law and whether or not it is officially constitutional unconstitutional,” said Jewett.