Florida’s Ron DeSantis Says ‘Sexual’ Festival Caused Him to Veto $32 M. in Arts Grants

” In describing the fringe as a ‘sexual’ celebration, he improperly characterized our event and misrepresented our contributions to the arts community, locally, nationally and worldwide,” Tempestt Halstead, manufacturer of the Orlando Edge Event, said in a statement. Halstead stated the event was just one of 200 such occasions around the world that are “contributing to a worldwide movement of artistic expression and cultural exchange.”

In 2023, legislators asked to outlaw drag programs that allow kids and quit venues from confessing children to grownup live efficiencies. That suggested legislation was blocked by a federal court as a result of breaching First Modification civil liberties, a decision that was later on bolstered by the Supreme Court.

Democratic Rep Anna Eskamani of Orlando said this year’s celebration was not “sexual,” though she noted that it “does feature drag queens and various other kinds of imaginative expression that DeSantis has actually wanted to censor in spite of courts telling him otherwise!”

“You have your tax obligation dollars being given up gives to things like the Edge Festival, which resembles a sexual event where they’re doing all this stuff,” the Guv claimed at a press conference, including later that “when I see money being invested by doing this, I need to be the one to defend taxpayers and claim, you know what, that is an improper use taxpayer dollars.”

While it’s unclear if the Orlando event was slated to obtain any cash from the gives, the state of Florida awards cash for social tasks based on a placed checklist. The Edge Festival was ranked toward all-time low. DeSantis stated the occasion must stimulate Florida lawmakers to reevaluate how state money is spent.