A bill that would make public drag shows in Tennessee a crime was passed on Thursday morning by the Tennessee House of Representatives.
HB0009 was passed by a vote of 74-19. The Senate bill was passed on February 9 with a 26-6 vote.
The next step is for the bill to be signed into law by Governor Bill Lee. If signed, the bill is expected to take effect on April 1.
According to the bill, “a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult,” would face a Class A misdemeanor. Any offense after this would result in a Class E Felony.
Performances that are defined by the bill as “adult cabaret” include topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, and male or female impersonators who “provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest.”
Slade Kyle is a full-time drag entertainer, also known as Bella DuBalle, and serves as the show director at Atomic Rose on Beale Street. Kyle recently went viral in a TikTok posted by a user named drwpkrr while speaking on the bill in front of a crowd dressed in drag.
“This is an attempt to erase drag in Tennessee,” said Kyle in the video. “This bill will further harm trans people who are literally just living their fucking lives.”
“It’s kind of crazy right now to be a queer person,” Kyle told the Flyer. “Given the fact that we live in a city with terrible roads and infrastructure, crazy crime, poverty, homelessness, police brutality, they want to worry about drag queens.”
While the legislation has been passed and is headed to the Governor, members of the LGBTQ community still plan to have their voices heard and fight against the bill.
A “Stand Up For LGBTQ+ Memphis!” rally is scheduled for Friday, February 24 at 4:00 p.m. at 892 South Cooper Street. This event is sponsored by OUTMemphis, Tennessee Equality Project, Mid-South Pride, Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood and CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health.
Aubrey Wallace is a local drag performer and the title-holder of Miss Gay Memphis and said that while this news is disturbing, she is not giving up the fight.
“We’re going to protest, but we’re going to protest the peaceful way, and we’re going to let our voices be heard,” said Wallace. “We’re not going to give them the satisfaction of having us act a fool like they think we’re going to act.”
Wallace said that her fight is fueled by the panic that members of the LGBTQ community are experiencing, especially the trans community.
“It affects us more than anything,” Wallace said. “Us just out there, minding our business, living our life, fearing if we’re going to be arrested or someone just scream out that we’re harassing their child or something now, just because it’s illegal to have drag queens and children near each other.”