HB 9, signed by Gov. Bill Lee, makes 'a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property' -- or where it can be viewed by minors -- a criminal offense.
Tennessee has become the first state to restrict drag performances in public.
A first-time offender will be charged with a misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation would be a Class E felony, the legislation reads.Right-wing and conservative backlash against drag shows and the transgender community has prompted legislative restrictions on both groups. "For a couple of minutes, an hour or two, whatever the case may be - I just want everybody to forget all their troubles," Catrina Lovelace, a drag queen, previously told ABC News. "For me, what a drag show is, is just a celebration of life."
"Neither of these laws are about protecting youth - they are about spreading dangerous misinformation against the transgender community," said Human Rights Campaign Legal Director Sarah Warbelow.
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