In recent months, what was seen as a faraway proposal last year by a few conservative legislators has gained considerable traction. Drag — an centuries-old form of art that has deep roots within the queer community has been a long-standing tradition in the LGBT community for many years. Republican legislators have introduced measures in 19 states this year that restrict the location and audience of drag shows. Governors in three states have signed these bills into law.
Most of the bills that have been proposed in this year are aimed at banning children from attending drag shows, despite the fact that most drag performances take place in nightclubs or bars where anyone under 21 is already prohibited from entering.
Critics argue that drag is overtly sexual, and the measures unfairly target performers. Supporters claim the legislation will protect children from inappropriate entertainment.
Only three states have adopted the measures so far — Tennessee, Florida, and Montana.
In March, Tennessee became the first. The law prohibits the “adult cabaret” from being performed on public property, or anywhere where minors could see it. First-time offenders are given misdemeanors and repeat offenders can get up to 6 years in prison.
On March 31, a federal judge temporarily stopped the law , hours before it should have come into effect. The same judge ruled that the law was unconstitutional on Saturday. The organizers in Tennessee are preparing to meet the new regulations.
Florida Gov. Last month, on the International Day Against Homophobia Biphobia and Transphobia, Ron DeSantis passed a measure that prohibits drag in front of minors. DeSantis, who signed the bill at its signing ceremony, said that the purpose of the bill was to limit drag.
Montana’s law has a unique feature in that it prohibits drag story hours in public funded schools and libraries, as well as preventing the performance in front of minors.
“The Hardest Decision”
In recent decades, what began as a series of heated protests has evolved into a family-friendly event. Drag bills have made this new, and generally welcomed, reality a bit of a headache to Pride organizers.
Pride organizers from Naples announced their plans to move drag shows indoors for adults in March, before the Florida law was even signed.
The Naples City Council granted a permit to the group for them to continue holding the festival in public parks in March as they had been doing since 2017. Callhan Soldavini is a member of the board for Naples Pride. She said that the City Council used a procedural tool to revisit the matter, which led organizers to restrict drag performances to adults and move them indoors.
Soldavini stated that this was the “hardest decision” that the group had ever taken, but they wanted to “fight another day.”
Soldavini stated that the event was not without tears and heated discussions lasting several hours, late into night. It has been an interesting year, to say the least.
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The organizers of the annual Pride Festival in Wilton Manors, a LGBTQ enclave north of Fort Lauderdale, will enforce a “minimum attire code” for all participants, said Jeffrey Sterling. Sterling is the CEO of Wilton Manors entertainment group, whose nonprofit produces the city’s annual Pride celebration.
Sterling stated that the group had not yet released their dress code but they will be requiring artificial breasts covered as well as a “male-speedo amount” of coverage for participants who are male. The code will not apply to those who are watching the parade.
Is it true you can wear less clothing to the beach? Sterling replied, “Yes,” Sterling. “But we already know what the Governor wants.”
Sterling said that cancelling the event was never an option, even though he doesn’t expect it to be a smooth day.
Sterling asked: “What do we tell all the gay people in Broward County about how they should feel about themselves when the state is doing a really good job of making them feel criminal for who they are?” What message are we sending to all gay people in Broward County regarding how they should view themselves, when the state does a great job at making them feel like criminals for being who they are? Sterling asked.
Not all activists are in agreement.
Organizers in St. Cloud, a small town about 30 minutes south-east of Orlando, , announced last month they would cancel their annual Pride festival, saying that hosting the event in the current political climate “would put our communities at risk.”
Knoxville organizers, who are located in a different time zone and several states away, also cancelled their annual parade due to Tennessee’s new drag law. In lieu of the parade, activists plan to protest – regardless of whether or not the law is overturned on Saturday.
Nathan Higdon is the chief financial officer for Knoxville Pride. He said, “People can still be proud but there’s a less celebratory atmosphere.” It will be a marche. We are still fighting for our right.”
Alan Nelson, CEO of Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center which hosts Missoula’s annual Pride Celebration, has said that, while the festival won’t violate the new antidrag law, it is his concern that the event will draw emboldened activists.
Nelson stated that his group increased its security budget to about $20,000 over the past few weeks. The group’s security apparatus includes hired police officers as well as private security firms.
Nelson stated, “I have lived in Montana all my life and I have never seen anything quite like this.”
Bozeman in Montana is 200 miles away. A group of protesters disrupted last month’s Pride celebration, carrying signs that promoted white supremacy and condemned the LGBTQ community.
Even states without drag bans, or bans that restrict this art form explicitly, have been affected by the wave of antidrag laws.
Northwest Arkansas Equality announced last month it would not be holding events at the Walton Arts Center, in Fayetteville, as planned. The center had prohibited the group’s drag showsor drag story-telling events in front minors.
The group stated that “no law or Walton Arts Center policy prohibits NWA Equality to host its full range NWA Pride programs at this venue, which includes drag performances attended youth” in a press release at the time. This decision is disappointing and inconsistent.
Although there is no Arkansas law that restricts drag shows, the Republican Governor of Arkansas has signed a bill to do so. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican governor of Arkansas, signed a law in February that would restrict performances deemed “adult-oriented”. The law will go into effect late in July. It was originally aimed at drag shows but after complaints that it discriminated against LGBTQ individuals, it has been modified.
Defense Department leaders cancelled a drag show scheduled for last week at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in celebration of Pride Month, in a state in which legislators haven’t proposed any legislation to restrict drag. Conservative politicians and pundits said that taxpayer money should not be used for such performances.
Sabrina Singh said, in a Pentagon statement, that “hosting these types of events at federally-funded facilities is not an appropriate use of DOD’s resources.”
There has been an increase in threats and protests against drag performers, as well as a wave legislation targeting this art form. According to a report from the LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD, between early 2022 and this March, there were more than 166 threats or protests against drag performances across the U.S.
