Earlier this week, local officials from the town of Portland, Tennessee met at City Hall to discuss whether a particular form of entertainment should be allowed: drag queens.
Local leaders spent over an hour discussing a new amendment to a current zoning ordinance, which would result in a ban on drag queens and live drag shows in the downtown business district.
The amendment would mean that drag queens and kings would be listed in the newly-created 'Adult Cabaret' category, which currently includes adult entertainment such as exotic dancers. Live entertainment that are in the 'Adult Cabaret' category aren't legal in areas within certain proximities to any schools, churches, libraries, or residential areas.
A number of community members stood up against the amendment, but there wasn't a shortage of people who agreed with the idea.
Resident Nicole Vestal said to the board that if people wanted to dress in drag, they should do it in the privacy of their own homes: “I applaud what you’re doing. Regardless of the ACLU, I think you guys should keep going… transgender shows have no business in the downtown district.”
Another Portland resident, Tom King, told the board that he was vehemently opposed to drag shows - as well as the LGBTQIA+ community in general - but that didn't make him a bad person: "I don’t support this,” he said. “If they’re on the side of the road with a flat tire, I’ll stop and help … but I don’t support this type of activity.”
A local group that puts on drag shows, Elite Star Productions, organised a protest rally out the front of the courthouse.
The group told local media that their last two drag shows in Portland had completely sold out, and the ban would terminate a healthy, functioning business.
Owner Ray Guillermo urged the board to visit his venue and see one of the popular drag shows before making up their minds.
“There is no nudity … This is not adult entertainment!" said Guillermo. “I think a lack of knowledge is the problem."
Local drag queen Graceyn James Collins told the board, “Kids see what we are doing - this is their way of expressing themselves!"
"In 2005, I hit my limit as a kid, and drag saved my life. That teen who is watching this right now, this is the turning point … Come see what we do and then make your decision.”
Portland's city leaders couldn't make a decision, and chose to defer the vote while they receive advice from the state Attorney-General on the matter, to find out if the ban would actually be legal.
Lawyers from rights groups have already sprung into action, with attorney Kevin Teets for the Tennessee Equality Project sending notice of intent to a file a lawsuit on the same day the board met. After hearing they had chosen to defer the vote, Teets made a statement saying,
“We commend the city of Portland for their decision to roll this bad bill. The discussion tonight proved that this is indeed a content based restriction on speech and there is no way that the city can amend this bill to make it pass constitutional scrutiny. We will pay attention to what occurs in Portland and our position remains: if the city infringes upon the first amendment rights of my clients, a lawsuit against the City of Portland will be filed.”
The board will now vote on November 6.
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