Amidst the tumultuous political landscape in Florida, Michael Travis, also known as the fabulous Erika Rose, is vying to unseat incumbent state representative Jim Mooney, a two-term Republican representing Florida House District 120 in Key West. Here’s the full story.
The First Drag Queen in Office
If Rose emerges victorious, she will be an unprecedented addition to Florida’s state legislature as the first openly performing drag queen.
The Reason
In a candid conversation with the media, Rose reflects on the intriguing journey she’s embarked upon.
“All of the people that I talked to before I officially put out that this is what I’m going to do, they asked me a question: Am I running to win, or am I running to make a statement?” she said.
She’s Running to Win
“Now, I’m running to win. I’m running to go out there and sit across the aisle from a representative [Randy Fine], who has trashed the entire Pride system in his district; to sit across the aisle from a representative [Spencer] Roach who, when we were in Tallahassee [protesting], went on his little Twitter and is like the ‘trans agitators are here’,” she added.
Making a Statement
She noted, “Because one, yeah, there’s a statement. I’m gonna be sitting across the aisle going, ‘Hi. Hello. We’re equals’ – assuming they don’t get voted out of office. But either way, we’re making a statement.
The statement has been made. The system is so wacky that a drag queen is running for office. My mother reminded me of this: that if I win, great, we win. If I don’t win the election, you still win.”
The Anti-Drag Bill
Rose’s decision to run for office was spurred by her participation in a protest against Florida’s anti-drag bill (SB 1438) in April.
A realization struck her during her ten-hour drive to the state capitol in Tallahassee.
A Voice of Reason
“It was on that drive up there that I was like, ‘We need to run for office. We’ve been talking about this.
Running at the city level, like mosquito boards, really isn’t going to do any good for anybody. We’ll run at the state level. At least that way, we can be a voice of reason at the state level,” she said.
The Bill by Desantis
The bill in question, signed into law by Governor DeSantis in May, empowers the state to penalize establishments admitting minors to performances that “simulate nudity, sexual conduct, or specific sexual activities.”
“Don’t Say Gay” Law
This legislation adds to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare, and limitations on restroom access for transgender individuals.
The Preliminary Injunction
However, a federal judge has intervened, placing a preliminary injunction on the drag ban in June, citing an inadequate definition of performances to be banned.
There’s More Problems Than LGBTQ+
Erika Rose contends that Florida’s politicians have sidestepped genuine issues affecting residents, such as housing market troubles and environmental concerns, to target instead drag queens and transgender individuals.
Drag Queens Are the Loudest
“In my personal opinion, because that’s the only one I’ve got right now, we’re going after drag queens because drag queens are historically the loud, bright ones that everybody sees,” she explained.
Giving a Voice
“We’re gonna be the ones that go out and say, ‘That ain’t right.’ So, if you get rid of the drag queens and then you start going after – here it’s less than one percent of the community – that’s less than one percent of the community is not going to have a voice,” she concluded.
“If Only Drag Queens Would Shut Up!”
Several social media users expressed their thoughts on the incident.
One Twitter user wrote, “If only drag queens would shut up! I personally am so sick of seeing men in women’s faces talking about how they are minorities and oppressed.”
Not Representative of the Population
Another User wrote, “People like this aren’t representative of the population, let alone the population of LGBT people. We don’t need sad, lonely men dressing as women for political clout. We just don’t. We could vote for an actual woman instead, you know?”
First-Class Idiot Had to Be Forcibly Removed From a Flight Due to His Fuss Over a G&T – His Cries of Distress Like Music to Fellow-Passengers Ears!
In a recent incident that has gained significant attention, a passenger on an airplane found himself in a situation that epitomized the stereotype of a “Karen.” Caught on video, the passenger attempted to explain his way out of trouble when police officers were called to remove him from the flight after allegedly throwing a fit when he was denied a cocktail before takeoff. First-Class Idiot Had to Be Forcibly Removed From a Flight Due to His Fuss Over a G&T – His Cries of Distress Like Music to Fellow-Passengers Ears!
Walmart Employee Terminated After 16 Years As She Exposed Dark Side of Retail Online
Platforms like TikTok have become a popular outlet for users to share behind-the-scenes revelations about various industries, shedding light on their harsh realities. From Domino’s delivery drivers exposing their meager tips to Instacart shoppers calling out fraudulent refund attempts, these revelations can have unintended consequences when higher-ups take notice. Walmart Employee Terminated After 16 Years As She Exposed Dark Side of Retail Online
Toxic Church Called Him a “Bad Believer” and Were Shocked When He Wasn’t the Only One Abandoning His Faith!
In a story of conflicting beliefs and personal experiences, a Reddit user finds himself at odds with his brother after inadvertently convincing his church mentee to leave the church. Toxic Church Called Him a “Bad Believer” and Were Shocked When He Wasn’t the Only One Abandoning His Faith!
His Boss Insists “You’re All Replaceable!” – Burnt-Out Employee Decided to Put This to the Test at Their Busiest Time of Day!
This Redditor tells the story of how working in the fast food sector really drove him round the bend. His Boss Insists “You’re All Replaceable!” – Burnt-Out Employee Decided to Put This to the Test at Their Busiest Time of Day!
10 Forbidden Topics That Needn’t Be Off-Limits! Are You Brave Enough to Discuss Them?
Can you think of an example of something that has been considered controversial but, in your opinion, shouldn’t be? 10 Forbidden Topics That Needn’t Be Off-Limits! Are You Brave Enough to Discuss Them?
The post Florida’s Fabulous Frontier – Drag Queen Makes Wacky Bid for Office to Silence Critics, Spark Change and Bring a “Voice to the Voiceless”! first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock /AlessandroBiascioli . The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: The Pink News