Montana has become the first state in the union to ban drag queen story hour for children from public schools and libraries.
Signed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday, the new bill essentially prevents children from attending “sexually oriented shows” and watching obscene performances on public property. The law further defines Drag Queen Story Hour as “an event hosted by a drag queen or drag king who reads children’s books and engages in other learning activities with minor children present.”
Republicans have long maintained drag shows targeted at children expose minors to sexually mature content that is inappropriate for young ages. LGBTQ advocates decried the law as an attack on their community.
“Montana’s new law criminalizing freedom of expression and art should be a red flag for everyone. The moral panic of drag has too long been a scapegoat for transmisogyny and overall transphobia in this country,” Jonathan Hamilt, the executive director of Drag Story Hour, told CNN.
Counter-protesters watch as people representing various groups gathered against Drag Queen Story Hour event outside Wheatgrass Books store on May 20, 2023 in Livingston, Montana. (William Campbell/Getty)
“Uncle Sam needs a makeover and our drag community is here to create one,” Hamilt added.
Other states have issued their own bans or regulations on drag performances targeting children, but Montana represents the first by singling out Drag Queen Story Hour. As Quartz noted:
The new law, passed on Monday (May 22), builds on recent legislation in Florida and Tennessee that aims to restrict who can attend drag performances that are deemed adult entertainment. However, Montana’s law goes a step further by banning drag queen story hours, which the bill designates as different than “sexually oriented” drag performances.
Montana’s new law defines a drag queen as: “a male or female performer who adopts a flamboyant or parodic feminine persona with glamorous or exaggerated costumes and makeup.”
The law also defines ‘drag kings’ as performers who adopt a flamboyant male persona, opening up the potential for guests at any number of library or school events to inadvertently break the law, like at an event where Snow White reads German fairy tales or a student concert covering David Bowie hits.
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By: Miss Cherry May Timbol –Independent Reporter
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