Trump-Appointed Judge Strikes Down GOP's 'Unconstitutional' Drag Show Ban
Donald Trump, struck down a law restricting drag shows in Tennessee, saying that the ban is "unconstitutional."In March, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law a bill that bans drag performances in public places where children are present.
Drag performances such as adult cabaret entertainment have been banned for being "harmful to minors," which according to the bill includes "topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainers."The state bill was challenged in court by the Friends of George, a Memphis-based theater group in late March, according to The Commercial Appeal.
On its website, the theater group said that the bill "imperils the lives of drag performers and seeks to oppress queer culture state-wide."Parker issued his ruling after midnight on Friday, granting the LGBTQ+ community in Tennessee a significant win as Pride month kicked off on Thursday.
The judge said that "the Court finds that—despite Tennessee's compelling interest in protecting the psychological and physical wellbeing of children—the Adult Entertainment Act ("AEA") is an UNCONSTITUTIONAL (sic) restriction on the freedom of speech."Though the state's defense team argued why the law is important to protect children who might be exposed to potential indecency, Parker questioned whether or not it's necessary, noting that the state already had laws on the books that prohibited obscenity.The court's decision comes at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are being heavily targeted in some parts of the country between anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and proposals sweeping through Republican-led states.
