A Florida drag queen said in an interview that they are running for state office against incumbent state Representative Jim Mooney to fight for equality in a political system that has turned "wacky."
Speaking with the LGBTQ+ news outlet, PinkNews, for an interview published on Sunday, drag performer Michael Travis said he is running to win against Mooney, a Republican, not just "to make a statement," as he said he has frequently been asked.
Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a host of legislation targeting the rights of transgender people living in the Sunshine State. Among the new restrictions, which include preventing teachers from using a student's preferred pronouns and blocking Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care, the new laws also sought to block venues from hosting certain "adult live performances" when children might be present, which was seen as specifically targeting drag shows.
In June, the "adult performance" and Medicaid laws were blocked by a federal judge, who said they were overly broad and likely violated the U.S. Constitution.
The laws came amid a renewed push by conservatives against LGBTQ+ rights. Drag shows have been among the most prominent targets of this move, with numerous Republican-led states introducing legislation to block them from being held anywhere children might be present. Many of these laws, as in Florida, have been accused of being overly broad, potentially leading to all such shows being blocked.
In response to the campaign against drag in Florida, Travis, who performs professionally under the drag queen persona "Erika Rose," launched a political campaign seeking to unseat Mooney, who has represented Florida's 120th State District, which covers the Keys islands, since 2020.
"I'm running to win," Travis told PinkNews. "I'm running to go out there and sit across the aisle from Rep. Mooney, who has trashed the entire Pride system in his district; to sit across the aisle from Rep. [Spencer] Roach who, when we were in Tallahassee [protesting], went on his little Twitter and is like the 'trans agitators are here.'...Somebody out there is going to feel validated and see because that is what I am here for, to let them know that they matter and I am here for them."
Despite his serious intentions, Travis also conceded that, win or lose, the campaign will help make a statement about the "wacky" state of Florida politics.
"Because one, yeah, there's a statement," Travis said. "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 won. If I don't win the election, you still win."
Newsweek reached out to Mooney's office via email for comment.
Correction 8/20/2023, 12:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of state Representative Jim Mooney's name.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
