HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — We're digging into the debate over drag.
News 3 anchor Pari Cruz looked into more than a dozen proposals submitted by lawmakers this year, including in North Carolina, to restrict drag performers in some way.
Supporters of these bills say the goal is to protect children from performances that are too sexual or meant for adults only. But opponents say the bills are trying to restrict drag performances, violate free speech and discriminate against those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Pari met with a drag performer, 27-year-old Alex, who showed her his process of turning from drab-to fab!
Moments later, after a little makeup and an outfit change, she sat down with Lee Bruhhh the drag queen in the dressing room of her home.
“I'm definitely at my most confident when I'm in drag,” said Lee Bruhhh.
She’s been doing drag for four years now and says it’s empowering.
“The most amazing part about it to me is when I'm out there performing and seeing all the smiles on everyone's faces, all the cheering. It just gives you a rush. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right,” said Lee Bruhhh.
But not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
Based on a bill tracker on the ACLU’s website, so far this year, 19 different states have proposed anti-drag legislation.
Currently, Virginia is not one of them. But in neighboring North Carolina, House Bill 673 proposes that male or female impersonators would be labeled as adult live entertainment alongside exotic dancers.
“It feels like they're trying to exterminate the queer community from the eyes of the public,” said Lee Bruhhh.
Those in support of anti-drag legislation, including Todd Gathje from a faith-based organization in Virginia called the Family Foundation, say the performances could potentially "groom" young children.
“We need to be able to stand up and say this, this should have no place in society and is nothing more than an effort to try and groom our young children into breaking down barriers and to remove any barriers in terms of sexuality or sexual experience,” said Gathje.
If the proposed bill in North Carolina were to become law, it would make performing drag in the presence of anyone under 18 years old a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Gathje believes restricting drag performances is necessary to protect children.
“It's just plain wrong to put them in those compromising positions,” said Gathje. “And the state has a compelling interest to make sure that they are not allowing activities and performances to be done in public that would seriously endanger and harm these young children."
However, many believe the performances are being mischaracterized by those proposing anti-drag legislation, including Wyatt Rolla: a transgender rights attorney with the Virginia ACLU who's been working to fight anti-drag legislation.
“There are drag performances that are appropriate for all ages, [including] Drag Story Hour. "Children get [what] dress up [is]. Of any group of people, children understand dress up. There's nothing age-inappropriate,” said Rolla.
Rolla thinks the proposed bills are unconstitutional and infringes upon people's First Amendment rights.
“Drag is a form of expression, like any other. It's like dance or fashion or music. And all of those are protected by the First Amendment,” said Rolla.
Rolla warns that the legislation aiming to restrict drag performances could pose a threat to other communities as well.
“This is not just about drag performers. It's honestly not even about just the LGBTQ community. This is an issue that all of us should care about because it's a fundamental principle of our democracy that the government cannot discriminate against people or silence people based on the content of their speech. And that's exactly what these laws do,” said Rolla.
Pari reached out to multiple representatives in Virginia and North Carolina, including the primary sponsors of House Bill 673, but as of this story, has not heard back yet from any of them who could comment.
In the meantime, members of the drag community tell her they will keep fighting for their right to be who they are.
