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In Midst Of Miami Beach Pride Week, LGBTQ Community Will 'Never Forget We Have A Fight To Fight'

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The Palace on Ocean Drive, with its legendary brunch, featuring a mixture of food, booze and jaw dropping acrobatics, expects to draw a huge crowd this weekend for Miami Beach Pride festivities.

It draws people from all over the country, but especially during Pride, The Palace will be the crown jewel in this weekend's celebrations. But politics is casting a shadow over this year's parties.

Palace Drag Queen Tiffany Fantasia
Tiffany Fantasia talks to CBS4's Kendis Gibson. (CBS4)

"In the moment we're celebrating who we are, but we never forget that we have a fight to fight," said drag queen Tiffany Fantasia.

The current fight involves Florida's new Parental Rights in Education law, nicknamed the "Don't Say Gay" law.

The bill was signed recently by Governor Ron DeSantis and forbids classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

Fantasia Royale Gaga, another performer at Palace, said it "would have had a major impact on me" growing up.

"The children know," said Tiffany. "What makes you think they're not gonna tease each other and bully each other, and then the teacher can't get involved and have that conversation, good bad and indifferent."

Supporters of the law say it's important because children are being exposed to radical concepts on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Now many other states, including Texas, are announcing plans to pursue similar legislation to Florida's.

"Just when we think we can let our hair down, there comes a new fight and a new angle," said Tiffany

For now, the Pride celebrations will go on with a heavy dose of concern for the actions in state capitals across the country.

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