Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has escalated a politically charged dispute by officially demanding that a Pensacola theater cancel its scheduled 18-and-older Christmas-themed drag performance, labeling the show “demonic” and “harmful to children.”
The event in question, a popular holiday-themed drag show, is explicitly advertised as an 18-and-older event, with strict age verification at the door.
Despite the age restrictions, Attorney General Uthmeier sent a letter to the venue, asserting that the performance violates state laws designed to protect minors from “obscene” material. Critics swiftly pointed out that since the show is age-gated, Uthmeier’s legal argument—that the content is inherently harmful to minors—does not apply.
The demand has been widely criticized by civil liberties organizations as an attempt to use the weight of the Attorney General’s office for political posturing against the LGBTQ+ community.
“This is a naked attempt to regulate and ban adult entertainment based solely on the Attorney General’s personal or political distaste for drag,” said a spokesperson for a local LGBTQ+ advocacy group. “This is not about protecting children; it is about censorship and discriminatory targeting of queer artists and businesses. Adults have the right to attend an age-appropriate performance, and artists have the right to perform.”
The controversy has galvanized support for the performers and the venue, with many community members buying tickets in solidarity and citing the move as an overreach of governmental authority into private business and artistic freedom.
As of the latest reports, the theater has not announced any plans to cancel the show, and legal teams are reportedly preparing to defend the venue’s constitutional rights should the Attorney General attempt further legal action.
