On a 2-1 vote, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a challenge to Tennessee’s extreme anti-drag law reversing a lower court ruling that deemed the statute unconstitutional and blocked its enforcement in part of the state. The appeals court found the theater group Friends of George lacked standing to bring the case. The decision only addresses standing, not the merits of the case.
Federal appeals court dismisses lawsuit over Tennessee’s anti-drag show ban https://t.co/kBjYtKWmd1
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 19, 2024
From AP News:
Friends of George’s had alleged that the law would negatively affect them because they produce “drag-centric performances, comedy sketches, and plays” with no age restrictions.
However, the federal appeals court found that Friends of George’s was not at risk of violating the 2023 law because its performances were not “harmful to minors.”
The actual word “drag” doesn’t appear in the statute. Instead, lawmakers changed the state’s definition of adult cabaret to mean “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors.”
Furthermore, “male or female impersonators” were classified as a form of adult cabaret, akin to strippers or topless dancers.
Read the full report here.
A federal appeals court has re-instated Tennessee’s restrictions on drag performances. Thursday’s order reverses a district court ruling last year, which had prevented the ban from taking effect.https://t.co/al0WYI3TxE
— Gene Bryant (@GeneBryant2) July 19, 2024
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