You know we’re in for a rocky year when drag shows are being banned across the country. The landscape for the LGBTQ+ community continues to get murkier as 2023 sets in. In Tennessee, bill HB 9 landed on the Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk which categorizes “male and female impersonators” as adult cabaret performers—which in layman’s terms means that Tennessee banned drag shows. I guess they missed the memo that straight folks actually LOVE drag shows and tend to outnumber LGBTQ+ folks two to one at a drag brunch!

In all seriousness though, sadly, Tennessee is not the only state looking to ban drag shows. Drag Story Hour, a charitable organization with the mission of increasing literacy and spreading inclusivity across the country, has been under attack for several months. Multiple anti-drag queen protests have popped up around the nation in places like New York, Maryland, and Iowa and their message is that they are “saving children from groomers.” The organizers of these protests label themselves as “anti-groomers” and “proud boys.”