Legislation Proposed By State Republican Lawmakers Would Make Bringing Minor To Drag Show A Felony

State Republican lawmakers in Iowa have introduced legislation that would make bringing someone under the age of 18 to a drag show a felony.

House Study Bill 158 would charge any adult who knowingly brings a minor to a drag performance 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,” Iowa Capital Dispatch reports.

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

Per Iowa Capital Dispatch:

Republican Reps. Helena Hayes and Heather Hora signed off on the bill with plans for an amendment. Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, did not support moving it forward. Hayes, of New Sharon, said the bill’s language needs to be tightened, and that the bill was not intended to limit “perfectly acceptable” art performances. She disputed claims from some speakers that attempts to restrict minors’ access to drag performances was coming from a place of hatred for transgender people.

She said the measure was brought up because lawmakers have heard from parents and communities that feel drag performances are inappropriate for children.

“We are well aware that there are many concerns around drag shows,” Hayes said. “We hear about it quite often, from our constituents, from people across the state. The question is, are there drag performances, drag shows, that have obscene material, that have profanity, that have any inappropriateness for young children? That’s the question.”

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Iowa Republicans Advance Bill to Make Bringing Children to Drag Shows a Felony

READ: https://t.co/OEHs0skT6H pic.twitter.com/UBpmvpOO5N

— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) February 22, 2025

WATCH:

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

From the Des Moines Register:

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.

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.

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This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.