Tennessee lawmakers recently passed a bill that would protect children from being exposed to inappropriate, adult-oriented performances. This includes drag shows, which are now prohibited from taking place on public property or in front of minors.
This legislation is a much-needed step toward protecting young people from being exposed to things they shouldn’t have to witness. The bill was proposed by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, who said “this is a common sense child-safety bill.” It passed with 79 votes in favor and only 19 against it.
The new law classifies “male and female impersonators” as adult cabaret performers and makes it illegal for them to perform on public property or in the presence of children. Anybody caught hosting or performing such shows will be charged with a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of $2,500 or up to one year behind bars. Repeat offenses are considered felonies with fines reaching up to $3,000 and sentences ranging between one to six years in prison.
We should all be thankful that our state lawmakers recognize the importance of protecting our children from disturbing content like this. We need to ensure that our kids can grow up free from exposure to these kinds of explicit performances which are not appropriate for them. Protecting our youth is paramount and this new law goes a long way toward ensuring their safety and well-being.
Once again, Tennessee leads the nation. We’re committed to ensuring Tennessee is the safest place to raise your family. This is a huge win for our state, and we’ll continue working to protect our kids. https://t.co/ptKj1Ax0LU
— Jack Johnson (@SenJohnson) February 24, 2023
