Challenging Florida’s New Anti-Trafficking Law: A Strip Club and Its Performers Fight for Their Right to Free Speech

Florida’s attorney general and two local prosecutors filed a lawsuit against Cafe Risque, a strip club where a 19-year-old named Serenity Michelle Bushey worked as a stripper. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Tallahassee on behalf of Bushey, the owner of Cafe Risque, and two other adult businesses in Jacksonville. They are seeking a permanent injunction to stop the enforcement of the law, citing violations of their First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.

Bushey lost her job at Cafe Risque after the new law went into effect on Monday since she is under 21 years of age. The law was implemented to combat human trafficking, according to Florida lawmakers. However, Bushey argues that this law violates her constitutional rights. The new law prohibits hiring individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 for roles such as cooks, DJs, waitresses, security guards, or using workers from third-party contractors for tasks like air-conditioning repairs or carpentry.

The Office of the Attorney General plans to defend the new law once they have been formally served with the lawsuit. Meanwhile, eight other adult performers who are older than 18 but younger than 21 are unable to work at Cafe Risque due to the new law. These performers rely on their art to make a living and provide entertainment for their audiences. They argue that they have a legal right to engage in protected speech through their performances. The lawsuit states that this new law not only affects these eight performers but also all those who work in the adult entertainment industry across Florida and beyond.