A federal judge has blocked a law in Tennessee which would have placed restrictions on public drag performances, describing the bill as unnecessary and the legal language used as too vague.
In issuing his ruling just after midnight Friday, Judge Thomas Parker explained that, despite what he called "Tennessee’s compelling interest in protecting the psychological and physical wellbeing of children," ultimately, "the Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) is an UNCONSTITUTIONAL (sic) restriction on the freedom of speech."
The AEA, which was signed into law by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in early March, banned "adult cabaret entertainment" that is "harmful to minors" in public spaces, including "male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest."
Performances featuring "topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers... or similar entertainers" were also to be prohibited under the law, which was described by one of the Tennessee legislators who introduced it as "a common-sense child safety bill."
Still, the push to ban public drag performances seems to be picking up steam elsewhere. Similar restrictions are currently being considered in a number of conservative-leaning states, including Idaho, Kentucky, North Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, and Utah.