Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan Dodges Kids’ Presence at Sexualized “Pride” Parade

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan has shown little concern for sexual obscenity displayed in front of children at LGBTQ “Pride” events over the weekend. Deegan served as the “Grand Marshal” of the Jax River City Pride Parade on Sunday.

Florida’s Voice published multiple reports with photos and videos showing the distribution of sex toys, condoms and lube at the Jax River City Pride Festival on Saturday and the parade on Sunday. Both the festival and the parade were marketed as family friendly and dozens of children attended each event, which required permits from the city.

At the festival, one booth offered products from the adult sex store “Adam and Eve” and “Wicked Sensual Care” including vibrators, dildos and bondage kits – the latter complete with a gag, blindfold and handcuffs. Chinese fans prominently displayed at another booth featured crass sexual humor, employing slang terms for male and female genitalia. 

Deegan spokesman Phil Perry told Florida Politics that “during her participation, [the mayor] did not see any of the items that were alleged to have been present.” However, the statement didn’t acknowledge the pictures and videos from Florida Voice’s coverage of the weekend’s public events.

The Florida Standard asked Perry and Deegan’s press liaison Melissa Ross to confirm whether or not Deegan saw the reports, but did not receive a response. 

On Sunday, multiple men marched in the parade wearing various kinds of BDSM sexual bondage – including dog masks and leather chest harnesses. Perry and Ross also did not respond to questions about these men wearing sexual bondage.

BDSM – short for bondage and discipline, domination and submission – represents sadism and masochism. Sadism is “the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others” while masochism is “the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from one's own pain or humiliation.”

Rep. Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) attended the parade with her husband and daughters. She told The Florida Standard they did not see any condoms distributed.

She claims one of the videos taken during the parade shows “someone that has an issue with the LGBTQ community walking around with a condom in their hand next to children attempting to push lies and a false narrative.”

When pressed to comment on the sex toys and bondage kits offered on Saturday, Nixon replied: “I gave you my response.”

LOCAL REPUBLICANS RESPOND

On Monday, Duval GOP Chair and Rep. Dean Black (R-Jacksonville) reacted with outrage at the images shared by Florida’s Voice.

“Local officials ought to rise up and protect our children. It’s necessary and it needs to be done immediately,” Black told the outlet. “It needs to be made clear that we are not going to sexualize children. … I will add that it is outrageous that the mayor participated, and in fact led such an event.” 

Jacksonville City Councilman Kevin Carrico added that he was “deeply troubled” by the report. 

“For explicit materials to be distributed at an event promoted as ‘family friendly’ is beyond disturbing,” Carrico said.

BDSM AND SEX TOYS IN FRONT OF KIDS: ILLEGAL?

On May 17, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law the Protection of Children Act prohibiting businesses and local governments from exposing children to “adult live performances.” Individuals who violate the law – including government employees who issue permits for such performances – can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. 

In June, Sen. Clay Yarborough (R-Jacksonville) – who sponsored the legislation – told The Florida Standard he thought BDSM attire would likely violate the state’s legal definition of harmful to minors due to the “prevailing standards in the adult community.”

“That’s something that – at least on the whole – our adult community here in Florida seems pretty adamant about as far as protecting kids,” Yarborough said. “I don’t have any doubt in my mind that’s a prevailing standard for adults in the state at this point. I hope it’s always that way.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did not respond when asked about whether or not any of the weekend’s sexual obscenities violated the law.