(Washington) “Ridiculous” and “dangerous”: the White House on Friday criticized a law just signed by the Republican governor of Tennessee which will largely limit drag queen shows in public places.
“These kinds of ridiculous decisions are not only unnecessary, they are dangerous”, in particular “at a time when LGBTQ+ Americans face a higher risk of violence, mental health problems”, denounced Karine Jean- Pierre, spokesperson for President Joe Biden.
Tennessee is the first American state to legislate against the representations of drag queens in the name, according to local authorities, of the protection of children against shows deemed too sexualized.
He could be joined by others. Texas, Kansas or even Arizona: in more than a dozen states, elected officials have proposed similar texts.
Drag shows are one of the latest battlegrounds in what is known in the United States as the “culture wars”.
These are debates fueled by conservative elected officials and the religious right, essentially revolving around gender, sexuality and identity.
Opposition to “drag shows” sometimes takes a violent turn. In 2022, 141 protests or threats against performances of drag queens were recorded by the LGBTQ+ rights organization GLAAD.