Tennessee Governor Signs Laws Banning Drag Queen Shows and 'Gender Transitions' for Children

Louis Knuffke : Mar 7, 2023
LifeSiteNews.com

The new laws ban puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and 'sex change' surgeries for minors and prohibit underage attendance at drag events and other sexualized performances.

(Nashville, TN) — [LifeSiteNews.com] Republican Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee signed into law last week a ban on sexually explicit drag shows for minors and a ban on transgender surgeries and drugs for minors. (Screengrab image)

The two bills, SB 1 and SB 3, were signed Thursday, March 2, amid growing concerns of parents in the Volunteer State over the sexualizing of children through the obscenities of drag queen events and performances targeting innocent minors in schools and public libraries, as well as the irreversible mutilation of body parts and the chemical castration involved in "trans" surgeries and puberty blockers. The laws go into effect July 1.

The law against drag shows for minors, SB 3, prohibits the exposure of minors to all "adult cabaret entertainment," such as "topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest." The law adds additional language to an existing law creating a 1,000-foot buffer zone between all such performances and public property, schools, public parks, and places of worship where minors could potentially watch them. A first offense will constitute a misdemeanor, while subsequent violations will carry felony charges.

The measure banning drag shows for minors had passed the Tennessee House with overwhelming support in a 74-19 vote in late February. On signing the bill into law, the conservative governor said it was intended to keep children from being "potentially exposed to sexualized entertainment, to obscenity."

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who introduced the bill together with Rep. Chris Todd, said last week, "This bill gives confidence to parents that they can take their kids to a public or private show and will not be blindsided by a sexualized performance"... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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