NC Republicans propose banning drag shows, with felony charges

Anyone who performs in a drag show in public could be arrested and charged with a crime under a new bill proposed by North Carolina Republican lawmakers Tuesday.

House Bill 673 would define live adult entertainment as "a performance featuring topless dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, or male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest."

Anyone performing those types of adult entertainment anywhere in public could be charged with a misdemeanor for their first offense, and of a felony for all subsequent offenses, if the bill becomes law. It would also apply to any private event at which a minor was present.

Rep. Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth) said he was inspired to file the bill after receiving complaints from people in his district about a drag show at Forsyth Technical Community College, which made national news in conservative media earlier this spring. One of the performers, while clothed in drag, performed a lap dance on an unidentified person. Some high school students, who attend classes at the community college, were present.

"This bill is a response to those concerns expressed to me about age appropriate entertainment," Zenger told WRAL.

He wouldn't say whether he intends for the bill to ban every public drag performance — or if it should be up to local police to decide when one has crossed a line from acceptable to illegal.

The LGBTQ rights group Equality NC slammed the bill as discriminatory, unconstitutional and dangerous. It cited a 2022 report that found North Carolina and Texas had more reported attacks on drag shows than any other states in the country.

"The criminalization of drag is especially dangerous in our current cultural context," the group wrote in a press release Tuesday. "Over the past year, the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys have increasingly targeted the LGBTQ+ community, protesting drag shows, nightclubs, and public events put on by the queer community. ... Anti-drag bills will only further embolden the far-right in their attacks."

The statement was echoed by Naomi Dix, a drag entertainer in Raleigh.

"This is a direct attack on a marginalized community," Dix said. "We, as drag queens and drag kings, are more than just hair and makeup. We are artists. We are giving the community local artistry."

"We made 15 wrong decisions," she said, WRAL News reported.

The state House plans to debate a similar bill Wednesday morning.

Democratic lawmakers have opposed the efforts, with some calling it discriminatory and others saying the legislature should be focusing on more important issues, like child poverty.