Some Arizona lawmakers want to outlaw drag shows in front of children and make felons of those who not only perform them, but also the parents who allow them to attend.
Members of the Arizona House Judiciary Committee approved the measure on a party-line vote. But lawmakers couldn’t agree on what they were banning.
Republican Lupe Diaz says drag shows are a form of grooming
“Grooming is a thing. Grooming can come in a lot of different ways," Diaz said.
But Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez pointed out that none of the bill’s supporters have watched a drag show. She also took issue with Diaz’s position.
“This is the ignorance that is so frustrating and that we continue to sit here and pretend we're not attacking one community," said Hernandez.
The issue comes down to how drag shows are defined. Two definitions are already crimes under Arizona law. The third would ban anyone who uses clothing, makeup and other physical markers to present an exaggerated and stylized gender expression that differs from a “person’s biological sex or normal gender presentation.”
The bill’s sponsor says this is about protecting children from being exposed to certain sexual activities while performers are dressed as the opposite sex.
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