MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local nonprofit theatre company, Friends of George’s, is suing the state of Tennessee and Governor Bill Lee just weeks after Tennessee became the first state to ban drag performances in public. Their attorney’s said the bill Governor Lee signed into law violated the Civil Rights Act of 1871.
Tennessee now joins 14 other states banning or working to ban drag performances with the state’s law going into effect April 1. Attorney Brice Timmons, a civil rights attorney working on behalf of the theatre company is adamant about the law impacting first amendment rights.
“You have, I have, and Friends of George’s has, the right to free expression, and this law is designed so that it makes everybody afraid to perform in drag,” Timmons said.
He’s also worried about what this law could mean for everyday play performances.
“This law can be read to stop people from performing Shakespeare because Shakespeare wrote plays with people in drag,” Timmons continued.
One of the bill sponsors, Senator Jack Johnson (R) tweeted the following statement at the beginning of March.
But Friends of Georges board member, Micah Winter-Cole, said their intentions are very clearly not to get in the way of parent/child relationships or expose children to any sexual performances.
“Friends of George’s has never wished to aid in the parenting of children or to instruct parents on how they should instruct their children in what they view or not view,” Winter-Cole said. “The content that we’re putting out isn’t any worse or better than the content that you can stream on any television program available on all networks.”
Their attorney insists this law is yet another distraction from signing other legislation into law.
“They want to distract us from the children who were just murdered in their school where they should’ve been safe because they don’t want to address gun violence in this state,” Timmons said. They don’t want to deal with those problems so they want you to think that drag queens are the threat to your kids and it’s a lie, it’s a dangerous one.”
The first weekend drag shows could be impacted is approaching, and attorneys involved in this case are prepping for the injunction hearing on Thursday. ABC24 reached out to Governor Lee’s office, and they said they cannot comment on pending litigation.