Texas lawmaker wants to ban drag shows for children
7 June 2022, 17:20
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"This is disgusting and dangerous. It can’t be allowed to continue. My Republican colleagues and I will protect kids from these sickos."
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A Texan Republican lawmaker will file legislation to ban drag shows in the presence of minors after a video surfaced online showing children attending a drag show in Dallas, Texas.
On Monday (June 6), Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton tweeted: "Drag shows are no place for a child. I would never take my children to a drag show and I know Speaker Dade Phelan and my Republican colleagues wouldn’t either. I will be filing legislation to address this issue in the new #txlege."
In a follow-up tweet, he added: "At a drag show in Dallas this past weekend, sick adults enticed kids to put dollar bills the underwear of men dressed as women. This is disgusting and dangerous. It can’t be allowed to continue. My Republican colleagues and I will protect kids from these sickos."
Texas lawmakers won't be able to consider the proposal until the next legislative session, which is booked for 10 January 2023. It's not clear how the potential legislation would ever be enforced.
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People have questioned why Slaton was focused on banning drag shows considering the more pressing concern of mass shootings. Recently, a gunman opened fire at a school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers.
Slaton's tweet was prompted by videos that surfaced online showing children attending a drag show at a Mr Misster bar in Dallas on Saturday (June 4).
In the videos, parents can be seen sitting on stools surrounding a long runway while drag artists performed in the middle of the venue. Behind the action was a neon sign, which read: "It's not gonna lick itself." (The sign is reportedly related to an ice cream advert.)
OHHHHHHHH YOU BETTA HOLD MY WIG FRENS.... THE FUQ https://t.co/C5KsAdFKVE
— michelle visage (@michellevisage) June 6, 2022
Don’t take your kids to drag shows. pic.twitter.com/VBYQPk0G1h
— Freemz (@FreemzTTV) June 5, 2022
I would never take my child to a gun show, so therefore we should make it illegal for any child to be at a gun show. https://t.co/voRp5czPZF
— Jessika Eidson (@JessikaEidsonTV) June 7, 2022
Texas is trying to LEGALLY ban kids from "drag shows"
— ☿ Demon Mama ☿ (@DemonMamaReal) June 7, 2022
Conservative Politicians don't care about free speech or kids, they just hate queers.
Drag Shows are unbelievably tame - the most "sexual" thing you'll see at a Drag Show is less than what you'd see at a public beach!! https://t.co/0m6PgkmskM
HOW ABOUT GUN CONTROL BITCH https://t.co/i6zB9JFxYe
— rachel elliott 🆗🆒 (@okie_elliott) June 7, 2022
This isn't about protecting children, it's about further censoring the LGBTQ+ community and taking more rights away from parents.
— Jessica González (@jessicafortexas) June 6, 2022
Let's actually protect children by passing common-sense gun control. #txlege https://t.co/iKJcwlhX4G
It took a Texas state representative TWO DAYS to write and propose legislation that would ban minors from watching drag shows.
— Jason (@JTheGhoul) June 7, 2022
It has been exactly two weeks since the tragic mass shooting in Uvalde. Not a single piece of gun reform legislation has been proposed. https://t.co/Xnwd6cIeVI
A representative for the bar defended the show following protests in a statement to Daily Mail.
The statement read: "We are more than happy to open our doors to celebrate Pride in a family friendly, safe environment, separate from our normal operations of 2 p.m. - 2 a.m. on Saturdays because we believe that everyone should have a space to be able to celebrate who they are. Mr. Misster is a place where everyone is welcome to feel accepted, safe and included.
"We had a group of protestors outside yelling homophobic threats, transphobic remarks and vile accusations at these children and parents. It is so sad to see that in 2022, there are people that still want to protest others celebrating who they are, but our staff and wonderful officers helped keep us safe and kept the protestors at bay."
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