DADE CITY, Fla. - A private, gated, clothing-optional campground resort that caters to gays and lesbians has become the focus of conservative ire in Pasco County after organizers announced the Gay International Film Festival taking place there March 27-30 would allow nudity.
According to the resort's website, "Sawmill is a private club on 100 secure acres behind a gate. Sawmill caters to the gay community and The Gay International Film Festival recognizes the best in gay and adult cinema." The website also mentioned that clothing-optional parties will occur in conjunction with film screenings.
That was enough to raise the hackles of the Florida Family Association.
"We're concerned about the massive amount of public nudity that's being advertised," FFA executive director David Caton told the Tampa Bay Times. "This is an adult business and there are restrictions about the patrons being naked. They are going way beyond that."
To make sure its opinion was heard, the FFA distributed a mass email on Thursday urging area residents to complain to the Pasco County Commission and the local sheriff's office.
"Should a campground which is surrounded by rural homesteads be allowed to become one huge adult business with porn films, live nude acts and patrons going naked?" the email asked. "The supermajority of counties and cities around the country prohibit patrons from being naked in adult businesses for obvious safety and health reasons."
The campground is not licensed as an adult business, but Caton said his group believes it should be because nudity is allowed on the property.
A Pasco County Sheriff's spokesman on Thursday said nothing illegal appears to be going on at the resort.
"It's private property and I don't believe that kids are allowed there," Kevin Doll said. "We're not looking at anything in the realm of a criminal complaint here."
In addition to offering the film festival, Sawmill also frequently hosts fundraisers for local charities. The campground, which contains about 30 cabins and 145 sites for tents and recreational vehicles and is patrolled by a private security force, has raised "thousands of dollars" for Healthy Families Pasco, Pasco Kids First, Sunrise of Pasco County's domestic violence center and the Association of Retarded Citizens of the Nature Coast, according to the Times.
GayVN
- By
