TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A 19-year-old and the club where she worked as a stripper have sued Florida’s attorney general and two local prosecutors to stop enforcement of a new state law prohibiting adult entertainment businesses from employing people who are under 21, claiming it violates their constitutional rights.
Serenity Michelle Bushey claims in the lawsuit that she lost her job at Cafe Risque in the Gainesville area after the law took effect on Monday since she is younger than 21. The purpose of the law was to deter human trafficking, according to Florida lawmakers.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Tallahassee on behalf of Bushey, the owner of Cafe Risque and two adult businesses in Jacksonville. It seeks a permanent injunction stopping the law from being enforced, claiming it violates their First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.
Besides Bushey, eight other adult performers who are older than 18 but younger than 21 are unable to work at Cafe Risque because of the new law, the lawsuit said.
“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 lawsuit said. “Plaintiffs have a clear legal right to engage in protected speech of this nature.”
The new law also prohibits hiring cooks, DJs, waitresses and security guards who are older than 18 but younger than 21, or even use workers in that age group from third-party contractors hired to perform tasks like air-conditioning repairs or carpentry, according to the lawsuit.
Kylie Mason, communications director for the Office of the Attorney General, said Tuesday that the office hadn’t yet been served with the lawsuit but will defend the new law.
A lawsuit has been filed against the state of Florida for implementing new age restrictions for workers in the adult entertainment industry. The controversial law, which went into effect earlier this year, requires all performers in adult entertainment establishments to be at least 21 years old.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of adult entertainers and industry advocates, argues that the new age restrictions are unconstitutional and violate the performers’ rights to freedom of expression and equal protection under the law. The plaintiffs claim that the law unfairly targets adult entertainers and discriminates against them based on the content of their work.
Supporters of the law argue that it is necessary to protect young adults from exploitation and ensure that they are not exposed to harmful or inappropriate material. They also believe that raising the minimum age for adult entertainment workers will help to reduce instances of human trafficking and other forms of exploitation in the industry.
However, opponents of the law argue that it is a violation of free speech rights and unfairly targets a specific group of workers. They also point out that many adult entertainers rely on their work in the industry to support themselves and their families, and that the new age restrictions could have a devastating impact on their livelihoods.
The outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, but it has sparked a larger debate about the rights of adult entertainers and the regulation of the adult entertainment industry. As the case moves through the legal system, it is likely to continue to generate controversy and raise important questions about the balance between protecting workers and upholding free speech rights.
