PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Tuesday, a lot of people from all over the state took buses to Tallahassee to protest laws they think hurt the LGBTQ+ community.
Early in the morning, one bus left Palm Beach County and went to the state capital.
A drag queen named Velvet LeNore, who was called “The Queen of the Palm Beaches,” was part of the neighborhood group.
“They keep saying that it’s all about the kids, but when kids come to our shows, we’re sometimes the best therapy for them because it’s the only time they can see something like us,” she said. “Or some of our gay kids get the chance to be around other gay people who can show them how to accept themselves and live their lives the right way.”
One of the worries is about a plan that wants to stop kids from going to dress shows.
“This is what I do. This is how I’ve made a living for 31 years, and LeNore said, “Unfortunately, a lot of businesses are stopping shows, not because they want to, but because they’re scared.”
Organizers said that drag stars and their fans came to Tallahassee from all over the state of Florida. On the steps of the capital, there were going to be speeches and a march. The group wanted to tell people about the past of drag and what they see as its rich cultural expression.
“So, we can march and protest peacefully for our rights. “This has been my life for 31 years, because what they’re trying to do to us is wrong,” Lenore said. “I don’t think it’s fair for them to try to tell me how to live my life. My life is a drag. I am a drag, and I want to be a drag. And I think I should be able to do that.”
The people who are protesting think that new laws are a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ group.
LeNore said, “I think numbers show strength, and I think they’ll realize that we’re not going to let them push us away or push us out.” “They need to know that we’re not a threat. We’re just here to entertain people and make them smile at the end of the day, and to show how much we love drag, which is a form of entertainment.”
