A 19-year-old stripper, along with strip clubs and a lingerie store, is suing Florida over a new law that raises the age requirements for adult entertainment establishments to 21. The lawsuit argues that the law violates their constitutional rights, specifically their First Amendment rights to free speech and association. The plaintiffs claim that the law is not narrowly tailored and does not advance the asserted government interest in combating human trafficking, as the law supporters claim. The law imposes criminal penalties on employers found in violation, including second-degree felonies for those who hire workers under 21 years old to perform nude. The lawsuit also argues that the law is unconstitutionally overbroad and vague, and violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The defendants in the case include Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and two state attorneys responsible for enforcing the law. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle over age-based restrictions in adult entertainment establishments, with a similar case pending in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Proponents of the law argue that it is necessary to combat human trafficking and promote a better quality of life for young women in Florida.
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