Tennessee limits public ‘adult cabaret’ shows amid backlash from Drag Queen Story Hour

March 3 (UPI) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a controversial law restricting public performances of “adult cabaret,” becoming the first state to pass such a law this year amid a backlash from conservatives against drag queens who read stories to minors in public libraries.

Republican Governor signed the law on Thursday after the Republican-controlled State Senate voted 26-6 on Senate Bill 3, which would make it a crime for a person to perform in an adult cabaret in public where minors may be present. The state House of Representatives passed Bill 74-20 on February 23.

The restriction, effective July 1, punishes the first violation as a misdemeanor and the second violation as a felony, punishable by up to six years in prison.

The bill is one of more than a dozen Republican state-level policies introduced in response to growing attention Transvestite History Hourwhere transvestite performers read stories to children in libraries, schools and bookstores.

Supporters of such legislation describe it as necessary to protect children from sexualization, while critics and civil rights advocates say it is an attack on the LGBTQ community and free speech.

“This bill gives parents the confidence that they can bring their children to a public or private performance and not be overwhelmed by the sexual performance,” said Tennessee Senate Majority Leader and bill sponsor Jack Johnson. tweet after Lee signed the bill.

Johnson has repeatedly defended his bill from criticism, saying it is not an attack on the LGBTQ community, but a way to protect children from sexual content.

“The purpose of this bill is simply to say that here in Tennessee you cannot conduct any kind of illegal or sexually explicit entertainment in the presence of children,” he said. tweeted mid February.

The Tennessee American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement that it was disappointed that Lee signed into law a bill that he said aims to censor drag performance.

The civil rights group has warned that the law does not make drag illegal in the state as the legislation only aims to ban illegal performances, so if it is used to censor drag performers or shut down LGBT family events, the ACLU will challenge its enforcement. in a court.

“We are concerned that government officials could easily abuse this law by censoring people based on their own subjective views of what they think is appropriate, restricting protected freedom of speech, and sending a message to LGBT Tennessees that they are not welcome in our state,” the statement said. V statementasking performers, event organizers and business owners who have been affected by the law to contact them.

“If the state uses this law to punish a drag performer or shut down an LGBT family event, they will see us in court.”

According to literature and human rights organization Pen America14 bills aimed at restricting or censoring drag shows have been introduced in eight states.

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