I gotta admit, I did not think this one through...and neither did the Arizona GOP, apparently:
The Arizona Legislature on Tuesday hit a new high in the hysteria over that most critical and horrifying of dangers that threaten our children.
Yep, they’re going after the drag queens again, only this time they’re also going after parents.
Senate Bill 1698 would criminalize anyone who exposes a child to a drag performance.
Take your daughter to see “Hairspray” and, by my read of the bill, you’d be guilty of a class 4 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. You’d also have to register as a sex offender.
Freedom, that is, unless you allow your child to watch “Mulan,” in which case you’d be guilty of a “dangerous crime against children” if said child is under the age of 15.
I realize there’s political gold these days in demonizing drag but isn’t this just a tad … I don’t know … full-on, flat-out bonkers?
Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills wants to bar state-funded drag shows for kids (SB 1026). Never mind that not even Kavanagh can point to any state-funded drag shows for kids
Republican Sen. Anthony Kern of Glendale wants to ensure that no drag performances occur within a quarter mile of a day care center, school, playground, park, house or church (SB 1028). He also wants to prevent drag performances between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and between 1 a.m. and noon on Sunday (SB 1030).
The bill defines drag as any performance in which one or more people dress as a member of the opposite sex “to exaggerate gender signifiers and roles (and) engage in singing, dancing or a monologue or skit in order to entertain an audience of two or more people.”
So “Mulan,” the story of a fearless young Chinese woman who impersonates a male soldier to defend her homeland?
“Hairspray,” the musical in which spunky Tracy Turnblad’s mother is played by John Travolta?
That’s criminal behavior, if a parent allows a child to see it.
It also would be a crime to expose your child to Robin Williams (“Mrs. Doubtfire”), Dustin Hoffman (“Tootsie”), Julie Andrews (“Victor/Victoria”), Tom Hanks (“Bosom Buddies”), Martin Lawrence (“Big Momma’s House”) or Jamie Farr (M.A.S.H.)
The Arizona Legislature on Tuesday hit a new high in the hysteria over that most critical and horrifying of dangers that threaten our children.
Yep, they’re going after the drag queens again, only this time they’re also going after parents.
Senate Bill 1698 would criminalize anyone who exposes a child to a drag performance.
Take your daughter to see “Hairspray” and, by my read of the bill, you’d be guilty of a class 4 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. You’d also have to register as a sex offender.
Bills would limit drag shows
This bill is brought to you by Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus.Freedom, that is, unless you allow your child to watch “Mulan,” in which case you’d be guilty of a “dangerous crime against children” if said child is under the age of 15.
I realize there’s political gold these days in demonizing drag but isn’t this just a tad … I don’t know … full-on, flat-out bonkers?
Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills wants to bar state-funded drag shows for kids (SB 1026). Never mind that not even Kavanagh can point to any state-funded drag shows for kids
Republican Sen. Anthony Kern of Glendale wants to ensure that no drag performances occur within a quarter mile of a day care center, school, playground, park, house or church (SB 1028). He also wants to prevent drag performances between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and between 1 a.m. and noon on Sunday (SB 1030).
The bill defines drag as any performance in which one or more people dress as a member of the opposite sex “to exaggerate gender signifiers and roles (and) engage in singing, dancing or a monologue or skit in order to entertain an audience of two or more people.”
So “Mulan,” the story of a fearless young Chinese woman who impersonates a male soldier to defend her homeland?
“Hairspray,” the musical in which spunky Tracy Turnblad’s mother is played by John Travolta?
That’s criminal behavior, if a parent allows a child to see it.
It also would be a crime to expose your child to Robin Williams (“Mrs. Doubtfire”), Dustin Hoffman (“Tootsie”), Julie Andrews (“Victor/Victoria”), Tom Hanks (“Bosom Buddies”), Martin Lawrence (“Big Momma’s House”) or Jamie Farr (M.A.S.H.)
