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Op-Ed: Florida’s Manatee Pride & Momma Rose Drag Queen Thumb Noses at DeSantis with “Family Friendly” Event on March 11

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Manatee Pride and Jason DeShazo (aka drag queen Momma Ashley Rose) from Rose Dynasty are thumbing their noses at Gov. DeSantis with an outdoor “family friend” event this month. File photo: Ja7, Shutter Stock, licensed.

PORTSMOUTH, OH –  Manatee Pride and Jason DeShazo (aka drag queen Momma Ashley Rose) from Rose Dynasty are thumbing their noses at Gov. DeSantis with an outdoor “family friend” event this month.

“March 11, 2023 – Manatee Pride Festival. Sponsored by Also for Gay Youth, Inc., the Manatee Pride Festival is a celebratory event for LGBTQ families and allies and features music, vendor tables, food & drink. The festival will run Saturday, March 11, from noon – 5 p.m. at the Pavilion and Rossi Park parking area.” 

DeShazo continues to perform at venues where minors are in attendance and recently he had to relocate his drag pageant because he was unwilling to change attendance to adults only.

The following excerpts are from Watermark Online:

The Rose Dynasty Foundation will host its sixth annual, family-friendly Miss Rose Dynasty drag pageant March 4 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center, switching from the Dr. Phillips Center as conservative attacks on drag mount in and beyond Florida.

Rose received a call Feb. 15 from the Dr. Phillips Center which stated that the show either had to be changed from all-ages to 18+ or she would have to find a new venue. The concern followed the DeSantis administration’s targeting of The Plaza Live for hosting an all-ages drag show.”

This is who we are and I’m not changing that,” Rose says. “There was no hesitation to my voice or my thought before they were finished. I was like, ‘No, no, I’m not changing, not going to change what we do, because you’re scared of the government, because we’re not doing anything wrong.”

As noted on DeShazar’s website, “Rose Dynasty continues to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth, including youth of all ages on the autism spectrum. We mentor LGBTQ+ youth by holding monthly meetings and also a monthly Drag Story time. Our youth activities span Central and North-Central Florida as well as online.” (bold emphasis mine)

Adult drag queens that perform for adults in adult places – none of my business.

In addition, Hovercar will be performing at Manatee Pride. A video on their website depicts the two band members allegedly snorting a white powdery substance with a rolled up dollar bill. Are they supposed to be role models for minors?

I reached out to the Bradenton, Florida, mayor and city council but did not receive a reply at the time my column was published.

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