‘A Drag Queen Christmas’ promotes next tour as ages 18+ following backlash

ORLANDO, Fla. (FLV) – The 2023 “Drag Queen Christmas” national tour will be limiting tickets to 18 years and older following national backlash from the 2022 tour that made stops in cities such as Miami and Orlando.

Florida’s Voice previously reported the sexually explicit Christmas drag show made stops in several Florida cities, welcoming all ages and prompting an investigation from Florida.

It led to the DeSantis administration revoking the licenses of the venues in Orlando and Miami due to children being present at the explicit shows.

In May, DeSantis signed a bill into law to penalize businesses and people who admit children into “adult live performances.”

The law authorizes Florida to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public establishment that admits a child to “adult live performances” that depict or simulate nudity, sexual conduct, or lewd exposure. Other states around the country have considered similar legislation.

The pre-sale alert for the 2023 drag show was sent via email and stated, “This year, the tour is 18+ only.”

The 2022 show caught the attention of reporters across the country as many expressed concern about the sexually explicit acts being shown to children.

Following the 2022 show, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is “revoking” the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation’s liquor license after the “sexual” drag show permitted entry to minors.

The department said the venue exposed and promoted lewd, obscene, and sexual acts to minors.

“Governor DeSantis stands to protect the innocence of children, and the governor always follows through when he says he will do something,” Bryan Griffin, the governor’s former press secretary, said in a statement.

The complaint said that during the show, “children appearing to be less than 16 years of age” were exposed to performers wearing “sexually suggestive clothing and prosthetic female genitalia.” Read the full complaint here.

They also alleged that “children appearing to be less than 6 years of age” were permitted entry, exposing them to sexual performances.

The department listed the instances where children were exposed to “simulated sexual activity” and “indecent displays,” including:

• “Intentionally” exposing prosthetic female breasts and genitalia to the audience.
• “Intentionally” exposing performers’ buttocks to the audience.
• “Stimulating masturbation through performers’ digitally penetrating prosthetic female genitals.”
• “Graphic depictions of childbirth and/or abortion.”

Another aspect of the complaint pointed to the “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer” song. They cited some of the lyrics, including:

• “You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen Vomit and Stupid and Dildo and Dicks-in…”
• “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer, had a very shiny bust…”
• “Then one soggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say ‘Screwdolph with your nipples so bright won’t you guide my sleigh tonight.’”

The complaint said videos were projected on screens behind the performers including images of “exposed female breasts with less than a fully opaque covering, portrayals of simulated masturbation, and other sexually explicit content.”

They said the show contained sexually explicit themes and prurient content presented through sexualized adaptations of popular children’s Christmas songs.

Multiple children were spotted by Florida’s Voice at the Orlando event. Florida’s Voice witnessed explicit performances, despite warnings sent from the administration ahead of the show.

In Texas, reporter Taylor Hansen said performers “simulated sex, danced suggestively and made sexual gestures to the audience and a group of roughly 20 children,” according to Fox News.