Tennessee Lawmakers passed a bill that restricts drag performances in public or in front of children, making the state a leader in the Republican-led effort to limit drag in at least 15 states in recent months. Over 20 bills are being proposed to push back against modern drag, which has grown from an underground performance art to a mainstream entertainment. Drag performers and civil rights groups have spoken out against the proposed drag regulations, stating that they are unconstitutional and would lead to further harassment and violence against the LGBTQ+ community.
Supporters of the bill argue that it is intended to protect children. Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson believes that it “gives confidence to parents that they can take their kids to a public or private show and will not be blindsided by a sexualized performance.” Representative Chris Todd, who sponsored the bill, said it was necessary after seeking a court order last year to stop an advertised “family-friendly” drag show during an LGBT Pride event at a park in Jackson, which he said was a form of child abuse.
However, critics say the bills are part of a Republican effort to advance laws limiting LGBTQ+ people’s conduct across the country. Drag performer Peppermint says anti-drag bills are just the latest in a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that is premised on false and dangerous slurs against gay and trans people, adding that it “targets us, dehumanizes us, villainizes us, and then they pass legislation against us.”
The bill defined “adult-oriented” performances by strippers, go-go dancers, or “male or female impersonators.” A first offense would be a misdemeanor crime, and a subsequent offense a felony, carrying a sentence of between one and six years in prison. The lawmakers also voted to send a bill to the governor that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming medical treatment such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery for transgender minors.