A 19-year-old exotic dancer, Serenity Michelle Bushey, has filed a lawsuit alongside the club where she worked as a stripper to challenge a new Florida state law. The law prohibits adult entertainment businesses from employing individuals under 21, with the intention of preventing human trafficking. Bushey claims she lost her job at Cafe Risque in Gainesville due to this law, which took effect recently.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee, argues that the law violates their constitutional rights, specifically their First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction to stop the law from being enforced. Bushey, along with eight other adult performers between 18 and 21, are now unable to work at Cafe Risque because of the new legislation.
The law not only impacts performers but also other staff in adult entertainment venues, including cooks, DJs, waitresses, security guards, and even third-party contractors performing tasks like repairs or carpentry. The Office of the Attorney General in Florida has stated that they will defend the new law. The lawsuit highlights the impact on individuals’ livelihoods who depend on their work in the adult entertainment industry. The legal battle raises important questions about the balance between regulating such businesses and protecting individuals’ rights to work in their chosen fields.
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