Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has found himself in the middle of a controversy after a photo of him in drag as a high school student surfaced on social media. The photo started to circulate just as the governor confirmed that he would sign a recently passed bill that criminalizes drag performances in public and in front of children. The bill has faced criticism for being discriminatory against the LGBTQ community, and the photo has raised questions about Lee’s stance on the issue.
The photo, which appears to show Lee in a cheerleader’s uniform, a pearl necklace, and a wig, was reportedly taken in 1977 and posted on Reddit just before the governor confirmed that he would sign the drag bill. While Lee neither confirmed nor denied whether it was him in the image, his press secretary called attempts to conflate the photo with the serious issue of drag performances in front of children “dishonest and disrespectful to Tennessee families.”
The controversy over the photo comes as the state of Tennessee is facing criticism for passing several bills that are viewed as being discriminatory against the LGBTQ community. In addition to the drag bill, Lee has also signed a bill that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors, a move that has been criticized by medical professionals and LGBTQ advocates. The photo has raised questions about Lee’s position on these issues, and has been seen by some as evidence of hypocrisy.
