Iowa Advances Bill to Make Bringing Kids to Drag Shows a Felony

Iowa lawmakers have just advanced a bill that would make bringing a child to a drag show a felony.

House Study Bill 158 would punish any adult who brings a minor under the age of 18 along with them to a drag performance guilty of a class D felony.

The crime would be punishable by up to 5 years behind bars and a fine between $1,025-$10,245 per violation.

It would also fine businesses $10,000 for allowing children to attend any drag performances, including perverse events aimed at kids like “Drag Queen Story Hour.”

On Tuesday, the bill has passed out of its House subcommittee and is now headed to the full House Education Committee.

Take a look:

Over 'trans rights' chants, bill making it a felony to take minors to drag shows advances in Iowa.

STAY AWAY FROM THE KIDS pic.twitter.com/S4y9spFlUf

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) February 23, 2025

BREAKING: Iowa lawmakers have recently advanced a bill to make it a felony to bring a minor to a drag show.

— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) February 22, 2025

🚨 NEWS & POLITICS | IOWA DRAG SHOWS

📰 Iowa Republicans Advance Bill Making It a Felony to Bring Children to Drag Shows a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine between $1,025 and $10,245.

Businesses could be fined $10,000 for allowing minors to attend. pic.twitter.com/VLaKCtkskc

— Tim R. 🇺🇲 🪖𝕏 (@TimBR_X) February 22, 2025

NEW: A bill that would make it a felony to bring a minor to a drag show in Iowa passed out of its House subcommittee hearing Tuesday.

Supporters say it would protect children, while opponents argue the language is too broad and that drag is appropriate for kids. @KCCINews pic.twitter.com/9Gu5K4xRHm

— Ophelie Jacobson (@opheliejacobson) February 19, 2025

KCCI Des Moines has more details on the bill:

A bill to outlaw minors from being present at drag shows could have wider implications for access to art and transgender rights, opponents of the legislation said Tuesday.

The legislation, House Study Bill 158, moved out of an Iowa House subcommittee, where lawmakers said they expect changes to the bill. Under the current proposal, any adult person who knowingly brings a minor to a drag performance at a business can be charged with a class D felony. The owner or manager of an establishment who knowingly allows minors to attend drag shows could also be charged with a class D felony, and businesses could be fined $10,000 under the bill.

Many speakers advocating against the bill were against this premise — with many drag performers speaking about their experiences in age-appropriate drag shows. Other speakers said the bill’s definition of a “drag show” is far greater in scope than shows at LGBTQ pride events or those like “drag brunch” events.

The bill defines a drag show as a performance where “the main aspect of the performance is a performer who exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth through the use of clothing, makeup, accessories, or other gender signifiers.” It also opens the definition of a performance to include singing, dancing, as well as reading or other performances “before an audience for entertainment.”

Maxwell Mowitz, representing the LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa, said the broad language of the bill could mean that transgender people could be targeted under the law for public speeches or non-drag performances.

Des Moines Register added:

Over chants of “trans rights are human rights,” House Republican lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday making it a felony to take someone younger than 18 to a drag show, the first legislative proposal this year explicitly targeting the performances.

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Critics fear the definition of “drag show” in the proposal, House Study Bill 158, would effectively bar transgender people from speaking in front of minors and ban certain theatrical performances, though lawmakers vowed to amend existing language as the bill moves forward.

The bill defines a drag show as a performance primarily where the performer “exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth” by their clothing, makeup, accessories or other features.

The prohibition applies whether the performer sings, lip-syncs, dances, reads or “performs for entertainment,” regardless of whether they receive payment.

Dozens of protesters standing outside the subcommittee meeting Tuesday afternoon watched a livestream of the discussion, chanting to drown out remarks from supporters of the bill and cheering after those opposed to the bill spoke. They chanted “drag is not a crime” for a few minutes after the meeting wrapped up but quickly dispersed.

Rep. Helena Hayes, R-New Sharon, said many lawmakers hear concerns from constituents about drag shows, and this bill addresses questions about whether some drag shows with “obscene material” and profanity are appropriate for young children.

She said the bill “will not be the way it is right now” as it advances and will be tweaked so there are not unintended consequences such as banning minors from art performances. Hayes and Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, signed off on pushing the bill to the full House Education Committee.

“You cannot say that if we want to address the content of drag performances, that automatically makes us anti-trans,” Hayes said.

A person over age 18 who knowingly brings a minor to a drag show would be guilty of a class “D” felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine between $1,025 and $10,245 under the legislation.

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The bill would levy fines of $10,000 per child against any business that allows a minor to be present at or view a drag show hosted on its premises, and against any public entity or state agency receiving state funding that uses that money to host a drag show.

A parent or legal guardian of a minor who views a drag show could bring civil action of $10,000 to $50,000 for each violation.