TL;DR: Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill banning public drag shows, which is now on the governor’s desk. But the war on drag spreads far further than that - and is far more insidious.
A new law currently awaiting signature from governor Bill Lee would make Tennessee the first state to ban public drag shows. It’s feared the ban could also affect Pride events, as well as trans performers - Quartz
While Lee said he plans to sign the bill, a photo has reemerged of him dressed in drag in 1977, prompting someone at a press conference this week to ask if drag is “only illegal when gay people do it” - Guardian
A Tennessee drag queen called the bill “legislative gay bashing” and “a full-frontal assault not just on the LGBTQIA+ community, but on liberty itself” - Independent
Drag bans are inherently linked to fight against trans people
This issue is bigger than just Tennessee - there are 14 bills across the US targeting drag shows. Similar legislation that passed the Arkansas senate defines drag shows as anyone performing in clothes associated with the gender they were not assigned at birth, which clearly attacks trans people - USA Today
Kentucky recently introduced legislation seeking to ban drag shows from happening within 1,000 feet of “locations that cater to minors” such as schools, churches, parks and homes - NBC
Here’s a helpful article that lists all of the latest anti-trans bills being proposed in the US (warning: there are a lot of them), including bills preventing trans healthcare, ‘drag bans’, bathroom bills and sports bans - Them
This isn’t a specifically American problem either. A far-right group protested against a drag brunch at the Honor Oak pub in South London last weekend - Evening Standard
Last month, people protested against a drag queen storytelling event at the Tate Britain - Guardian
As Monroe Bergdorf set out in a recent post, the current anti-drag trend is inherently linked and inspired by anti-trans rhetoric. Which in itself, is an attack against all of us in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Analysis: The opposition to drag is a small, albeit vocal, minority
But underneath this dumpster fire of legislation and far-right demonstration is a glimmer of hope.
Hundreds turned out in Tennessee to protest the ‘drag ban’ - News Channel 5, The Tennessean
Celebrities have used their platforms to denounce transphobic bills like this one, including Shania Twain, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, and several RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni.
A group of MMA fighters in Ohio committed to protecting drag queens from right-wing protesters at their events - PinkNews
At the Honor Oak pub, the far-right demonstrators were far, far outnumbered by the counter-protestors who went to show their support for drag art - East London Lines
‘Drag bans’ and similar legislation targets trans people and the LGBTQIA+ community more broadly - and people are coming out in their hundreds to stand against it.
It’s a much-needed reminder that we are not alone - thousands are standing beside us, willing to fight with us.
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