The Texas Senate has passed two bills that would restrict drag show performances in front of minors and end “drag queen story hour” in Texas libraries.
Senate Bill 12, authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), would stipulate that “A person who controls the premises of a commercial enterprise may not allow a sexually oriented performance to be presented in the presence of an individual younger than 18 years of age.”
In addition to levying a $10,000 fine, it would explicitly identify any incident with a performer in drag who “sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience” as a sexually oriented performance if it also “appeals to the prurient interest in sex.”
Sen. Hughes said that he was “Proud to author this bill protecting the innocence of children.”
In a statement sent to The Dallas Express, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, “It is shocking to me that any parent would allow their young child to be sexualized by drag shows.”
“Children, who cannot make decisions on their own, must be protected from these sexually-oriented drag shows now occurring more and more in front of them,” Patrick continued.
“I selected SB 12 to be a top priority of mine because someone must fight back against the radical Left’s degradation of our society and values,” he added. “I will not allow Texas children to be sexualized and scarred for life by harmful drag performances.”
The ACLU of Texas denounced the bill, claiming on Twitter, “The #txlege’s attempt to ban or limit drag shows is part of a wave of political attacks against the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“The mental health toll from these attacks has been devastating. Bills that attack drag are yet another attempt to steal joy from the LGBTQIA+ community,” the group continued.
If the bill were to pass the House and be signed into law, it would not make drag shows entirely illegal. Instead, it would prohibit sexualized drag when in the presence of children.
Senate Bill 1601, also authored by Hughes, would prohibit municipal libraries from receiving taxpayer funds “if the library hosts an event at which a man presenting as a woman or a woman presenting as a man reads a book or a story to a minor for entertainment and the person being dressed as the opposite gender is a primary component of the entertainment.”
Regarding, SB 1601, Lt. Gov. Patrick said in a statement received by The Dallas Express, “The radical Left’s attempt to sexualize and indoctrinate Texas children is never-ending.”
“It is infuriating and unfathomable that public money has been used to fund drag queen story hour in Texas libraries,” he added. “The Senate’s passage of SB 1601 is of utmost importance to put a stop to the sexualization of our children.”
Woori Juntos, a left-wing activist group, condemned both pieces of legislation, saying, “SB 12 and SB 1601 are not only discriminatory, but also harmful to our communities.”
“Banning drag performances and defunding libraries hosting Drag Storytime events directly attacks diversity, inclusion, and freedom of expression,” the organization claimed.
Similarly, Callie Butcher, the president of the Dallas LGBT Bar Association, reacted to the news, tweeting, “#SB12 and #SB1601 finally passed, what a joke. As said in my testimony, if you don’t want your kids to go to a drag show, don’t take them.”
Both pieces of legislation will now proceed to the House for consideration.