Florida Stripper Sues Over Law Banning Under-21
A 19-year-old dancer, Serenity Michelle Bushey, has filed a lawsuit against a new Florida law that raises the minimum age requirement for working in adult entertainment establishments.
This law, according to Bushey, violates her constitutional rights and led to her termination from her job at a strip club.
Florida Stripper Sues: Law Seen as Unconstitutional
Bushey, along with Café Risque, the Gainesville strip club where she worked, and two adult businesses in Jacksonville, are all suing the state. Their lawsuit argues that the law, raising the minimum age requirement to 21 years old, is unconstitutional.
Stripper sues Florida over new restrictions for workers at adult entertainment businesses https://t.co/A8w4A2DSih
— TIME (@TIME) July 3, 2024
Source: Twitter/TIME
They claim it infringes on their First Amendment right to free expression and their Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.
Florida Stripper Sues: Challenging the Rationale Behind the Law
The lawsuit contends that the law, HB 7063, doesn't effectively target human trafficking. While the law was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May to supposedly combat trafficking, the businesses involved in the lawsuit argue this justification is flawed.
They point out their establishments have a history of employing individuals under 21 for various roles, including dancers, waitresses, security guards, and cooks, without any instances of human trafficking.
Florida Stripper Sues: Economic Impact and Age Discrimination
The lawsuit also highlights the economic impact of the law. Strip clubs argue that hiring performers under 21 allows them to broaden their talent pool and cater to younger audiences. Many young entertainers, like Bushey, rely on these jobs to support themselves through college.
Furthermore, the lawsuit argues that the law unfairly discriminates based on age, allowing adult venues to admit patrons under 21 while excluding performers of the same age.
Florida Stripper Sues: Legal Battle on Multiple Fronts
This lawsuit is not the only legal challenge to age restrictions in Florida's adult entertainment industry. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is also expected to rule soon on a similar case involving a Jacksonville city ordinance that restricts performers' ages.
Both these legal battles are being led by attorney Gary Scott Edinger.
The Florida Attorney General's office has yet to receive the lawsuit but has confirmed their intention to defend the new law.
Read more such news on techinsighttoday
Thank you so much for reading.