Arkansas Senate OKs drag show restrictions; heads to House
Tuesday’s Arkansas Senate vote approved legislation restricting drag shows. They will be classified the same as adult theaters and strip clubs. This despite criticisms that it is too broad and discriminates against LGBTQ people.
The bill was approved by the majority-Republican Senate on a 29-6 vote. All six Democrats opposed it. The majority-Republican House now has the measure, which bans drag shows from being held on public property. If the bill is passed, Arkansas could become the first state to impose such restrictions on drag shows, given their increased attention from Republican lawmakers as well as groups.
Before the vote, Democratic Senator Stephanie Flowers stated that she believed you were trying to target people who are not normal.
Right-wing activists have protested drag story hours, which feature drag queens reading to children. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there have been at least 20 bills that would ban or restrict drag shows in nine states so far this year.
|
Before the vote, Republican Senator Gary Stubblefield, who sponsored the bill, said to the Senate that “if your child needs to be entertained by a large human in a costume,” he suggested. “This is putting our kids in situations that violate their personal boundaries,” Stubblefield said.
Arkansas’ proposal would make drag shows illegal within 1,000 feet (304.8m) of schools, churches, parks, libraries, and other public places.
A drag show is defined as anyone performing in front of a minimum of two people and displaying a different gender identity from their birth gender. The bill defines drag performers as those who wear clothing, makeup or other accessories that were worn traditionally by members of their gender and which are intended to exaggerate their opposite sex.
It also defines a drag-show as one that appeals to “prurient”, a term which isn’t in the bill.
Republican Governor. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Republican Gov. The former White House press secretary said that she would support legislation that was modeled after a Florida law prohibiting instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade. Critics call that law the “Don’t Say Gay”, and claim it marginalizes LGBTQ persons.
When asked about the bill, Alexa Henning, Sanders’ spokeswoman, stated that Sanders believes we should be protecting and educating children, not indoctrinating. It’s time for kids to be children again.
This bill is one of many restrictions that target LGBTQ people that have been introduced in the statehouses throughout the country this year.
While the bill is moving, a federal judge is still weighing whether to strike down the temporary blocked 2021 Arkansas law that would prohibit gender-affirming minors’ medical care. Arkansas was the first state that enacted such a ban.
Critics claim that the bill is too broad in its language that it could be applied to anyone living at home, particularly transgender persons. They also question whether the restrictions will apply to theater performances in which actors or actresses portray the opposite gender.
Northwest Arkansas Equality is the group that organizes the largest state pride parade and festival every year in Fayetteville. Steve Harrelson is the operations manager of the group. He said that it was unclear if the bill would extend beyond the events and ban people wearing drag from attending.
Harrelson stated, “It builds community.” It’s not as horrible as people make it out to “
One Democratic lawmaker called this restriction unconstitutional and pointed out that the state doesn’t consider restaurants like Twin Peaks or Hooters — which have servers wearing revealing clothes — to be adult businesses.
Clarke Tucker, Democratic Senator of Clarke said that “The truth is that this bill isn’t about governing.” It’s about bullying.
