Photo by Kimberly DeFalco
Yesterday, Tampa Pride announced the cancellation of Pride on the River, a flotilla and land celebration event scheduled for Sept. 24.
Yesterday, Tampa Pride announced the cancellation of Pride on the River, a flotilla and land celebration event scheduled for Sept. 24.
On social media, Tampa Pride Board President and co-founder Carrie West said, “Our choice was clear and spelled out by the governor.”
For the last three years, West has worked with downtown Tampa businesses to bring the spirit of Pride to the river for an annual event featuring fireworks, drag brunches, diversity boat parades and live drag performances. The flotilla usually stretched between Water Street and Tampa Armature Works, which was home to a mainstage for shows and performances.
In his announcement, West alluded to DeSantis' signing of SB 1438. DeSantis signed the bill into law on Wednesday at Cambridge Christian school in Tampa, and echoed proponents’ claims that it prevents children's exposure to adult live performances.
The bill defines adult live performances as "any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, ... lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts."
None of those things have been seen at Tampa Pride on the River.
While the bill does not directly name drag shows, according to WTSP, a pamphlet given out at DeSantis’ press conference said the bill "protects children from sexually explicit adult performances in all venues—including drag shows and strip clubs."
Speaking to WMNF public affairs show "The Skinny" today, West said the board made the decision to cancel Pride on the River 2023 before the governor even signed the bill. It looked at Fort Lauderdale’s “Floatarama” parade, set for June. “They will not have any drag queens on the floats this year,” West said.
West told the community radio station organizers floated the idea of creating a fenced-off, 18-and-up area at Tampa Armature Works. Ybor City’s big springtime pride parade—which is still on and set for next March—uses a similar, fenced off model, but Pride on the River organizers could not find a good configuration at Armature Works.
West added that when he met with downtown businesses and organizations who’d previously helped and supported Pride on the River, he could look around the room and sense concerns about threats from the governor, the loss of contracts and strained relationships with the State of Florida if they didn’t play it safe this year.
During a recent “Drag Isn’t Dangerous” telethon, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former police chief, said, "During my 30 years in law enforcement I learned what's dangerous to our communities, and it's not drag shows."
Today, Castor told CL, “It’s disappointing to hear Tampa Pride on the River is canceled, but it doesn’t change the fact that Tampa is and always will be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming community.”
On the Monday after this story was published, Axios cited former Tampa Pride board members who said West and his organization have lost the support it takes to run big events.
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UPDATED 05/22/23 5:20 p.m. Updated with follow up reporting from Axios.
