In a recent development, a 19-year-old Florida stripper and her employer are taking legal action against the Sunshine State over new age-restrictions for adult dancers, alleging that the law infringes upon their constitutional rights. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee on Monday on behalf of the young woman, the strip club’s owners, and two other adult businesses in Jacksonville, requests a permanent injunction halting the enforcement of the new law.
The suit claims that Serenity Michelle Bushey lost her job at the Gainesville-area strip club Cafe Risque following the implementation of a law raising the stripping age from 18 to 21 on Monday, as reported by WPLG. The plaintiffs argue that the law violates their First Amendment right to free speech and their Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.
According to the suit, Bushey and eight other adult dancers who are over 18 but younger than 21 are no longer able to work at Cafe Risque due to the law that was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. The legal action states: “As with similar performers around the state, Bushey earned her living through her art while providing entertainment for the benefit and enjoyment of her audience.
The new law also prohibits adult entertainment businesses from employing cooks, DJs, waitresses, and security guards younger than 21. Additionally, businesses can no longer use workers under 21 from third-party contractors to complete work like air conditioning repairs or carpentry. The Florida Attorney General’s office has yet to receive the lawsuit but intends to defend the new law.
The decision to raise the age of workers in adult entertainment from 18 to 21 was part of an effort to combat human trafficking in the state. Adult businesses are now required to display signage warning about human trafficking. DeSantis said when he signed the bill: “This legislation will help better protect the most vulnerable in our communities, it will ensure that if businesses are not complying with these very modest, reasonable requirements, whether knowingly or unknowingly, they will be held accountable.
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how courts will address the conflict between the constitutional rights of adult entertainers and the state’s efforts to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
