First State to Ban Drag Performers From Reading to Children in Public Schools, Libraries

Montana has become the first state to specifically ban individuals dressed in drag from reading to children in public schools and libraries.

Unlike similar legislation in Florida and Tennessee, Montana’s law doesn’t require the drag events to have a sexual element to be banned.

The law is expected to face legal challenges.

Montana becomes the first state to ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries. https://t.co/tuWh8lOPpQ

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 24, 2023

NBC News reports:

The bill, which was co-sponsored by more than half of the Republican-controlled legislature, took immediate effect after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed it on Monday.

Gianforte signed the bill because he “believes it’s wildly inappropriate for little kids, especially preschoolers and kids in elementary school, to be exposed to sexualized content,” spokesperson Kaitlin Price said in a statement.

The bill initially sought to ban minors from attending drag performances, which were defined as shows that tended to “excite lustful thoughts.” The legislation was later amended to ban minors from attending sexually oriented or obscene performances on public property.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Braxton Mitchell, said he sponsored the bill “because drag shows in recent years have been specifically aimed at children,” and spoke of online videos that show children at drag shows.

“In my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as a family-friendly drag show,” Mitchell previously said.

HB 0359 reads:

AN ACT PROHIBITING MINORS FROM ATTENDING SEXUALLY ORIENTED SHOWS; PROHIBITING DRAG STORY HOUR IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDING; PROHIBITING MINORS FROM ATTENDING SEXUALLY ORIENTED OR OBSCENE PERFORMANCES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY; PROHIBITING SEXUALLY ORIENTED PERFORMANCES IN LIBRARIES OR SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE STATE FUNDING; PROHIBITING SEXUALLY ORIENTED PERFORMANCES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY WHERE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT

The Daily Wire added:

In signing the bill, Gianforte commented that he believed it was “wildly inappropriate for little kids, especially preschoolers and kids in elementary school, to be exposed to sexualized content.”

The bill passed the Republican-controlled House in a 66-33 vote in February. Democrat Minority Leader Kim Abbott declared, “I’m going to object today every time we’re equating a drag performance to sexualizing children. And I just want the body to know that we can do it all day long.”

Democrats attempted to amend the bill and replace references to “drag” with “adult-oriented performance.”  Mitchell said the Democrats’ amendment “completely derails the intent of the legislation” while pushing for the motion to be defeated, which it was in a 58-42 vote.