Tennessee’s Anti-Drag Bill Is a Gaudy Public Performance

Tennessee is on the verge of passing a law banning minors from attending drag shows, but it’s not entirely clear—even when you ask its proponents—how broadly it’s going to be enforced.

Tennessee’s Republican-dominated House on Thursday passed an amended version of S.B. 3, a bill that would ban “adult cabaret performances” in public or anywhere where a minor could view it. The definitions of cabaret performances in the original draft of the bill include “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration.”

The bill makes the first offense a Class A misdemeanor and subsequent offenses a Class E felony, which can carry fines of up to $3,000 and prison sentences of one to six years.

The inclusion of “male and female impersonators” is intended to block children from attending drag performances, but the addition of the clause “that appeals to a prurient interest” makes the meaning vague. The bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Chris Todd (R–Jackson), has been clear that he thinks any drag show is inappropriate for children, regardless of content. Last October, he got directly involved in a fight over whether minors should be allowed to attend what was being sold as a “family-friendly drag show” at Jackson, Tennessee’s pride event. Todd went so far as to try to get an injunction to halt the show entirely. The event organizers eventually agreed to a compromise to prohibit minors from attending the drag show.

The Tennessean reported that the pride event organizers had thoroughly vetted the show to make sure it was appropriate for children and did not contain any lewd or sexual content. Todd, however, told The Tennessean he ne