A principled stand or bitter pragmatism. There were no good choices, only passionate pleas at last night’s city commission meeting. In this week’s SFGN, online now and on stands tomorrow, I look at how DeSantis and the GOP are affecting next month’s Stonewall event in Wilton Manors. At last night’s city commission meeting, the panel voted unanimously to amend the party’s permit to ensure compliance with a new law declaring all live drag entertainment as ‘adult entertainment.’ Queens play an integral part in Stonewall and most prides throughout the world. They host parades and stages as well as perform. It appears that will not be the case at next month’s event. This is a gut punch to the very soul of LGBTQ+ culture. Many people came to speak out against changing the permit, including a dozen entertainers representing local venues. Coco Lords told me, “I’m here to make sure we are heard and are seen. To show that we are one community and we have to represent each other and stand up for each other.” They were passionate. Commissioners were empathetic. But in the end, they acquiesced. What is the alternative? To openly defy the law would give DeSantis the excuse he needs to remove commissioners and install his own government over Wilton. That could be a death knell to LGBTQ+ in Greater Wilton Manors. It now falls to Stonewall Pride CEO Jeff Sterling to comply. He told me, “We may be constrained by the narrowest interpretation of the law today but that does not dissuade us from our long term fight against injustice, against our community.” #Queer Up South Florida Gay News