North Carolina lawmaker defends plan to ban drag shows when minors are present: 'Need to be guardrails'

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A Republican state legislator from North Carolina is pushing back against charges that his bill to ban drag shows that have minors in the audience is discriminatory.

"If the position is that because there are guardrails on something, that makes it discriminatory, then what isn't? What rule, what regulation isn't?" state Rep. Jeff Zenger, who represents a district near Winston-Salem in Forsyth County, told Fox News Digital.

Zenger introduced the one-page House Bill 673 on Tuesday. The bill, which has 17 cosponsors, would amend state law to define "adult 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, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration."

Such adult entertainment would be prohibited "on public property or in a location where adult live entertainment is in the presence of an individual under the age of 18," under the law. Violators would be guilty of a misdemeanor with up to five months in jail for the first offense and a Class I felony with up to a year in jail for subsequent offenses.

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Republican North Carolina state Rep. Jeff Zenger said House Bill 673 is intended to protect children. (Rep. Jeff Zenger)

The proposed legislation has been met with criticism from detractors such as Equality NC, an LGBTQ rights group that blasted it as discriminatory and dangerous, according to a press release.

"The criminalization of drag is especially dangerous in our current cultural context," the group said. "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." The organization predicted drag show bans would "only further embolden the far-right in their attacks."

"This is a direct attack on a marginalized community," Raleigh-based drag entertainer Naomi Dix told local WRAL of HB 673. "We, as drag queens and drag kings, are more than just hair and makeup. We are artists. We are giving the community local artistry."

Zenger dismissed such reactions as "knee-jerk, go-to responses" that fail to take into consideration the practical reasons behind his bill, which he said was drafted in response to a specific incident that occurred in his district last month. He said that many constituents in his district had raised concerns with him following national coverage of a drag show at Forsyth Technical Community College, a public school that enrolls students as young as 14.

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North Carolina HB 673 would make performing drag in front of minors a misdemeanor upon first offense and a Class I felony for subsequent offenses. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)

A video obtained by Libs of TikTok went viral, showing multiple adults at the event laughing and watching a drag performer straddling a young girl.

"The bill evolved from there, because everybody kind of was a little bit caught off-guard," Zenger said. "The response from my constituents or from the community as a whole [toward the bill] has been overwhelmingly very positive. I'm getting a lot of thank-yous, and people are very encouraged."

"It's not about drag queens, it's about protecting kids."

— North Carolina state Rep. Jeff Zenger

The lawmaker said he has found it "interesting" how readily some critics have framed his bill as an attempt to clamp down on drag queens, which he said misses the point.

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"Here's the thing: It's about protecting kids," he said. "That's what it's about. It's not about drag queens, it's about protecting kids. All we're doing is putting some guardrails on the drag queen industry. They can still do their thing, we're just not going to have this be something that is thrust upon minors."

"Our law recognizes that there need to be guardrails on things for kids all over the place. We don't let them buy whiskey until they're 21, they can't vote till they're 18, the list goes on and on," he added. "It's just a few years for them to be of age, and they can make whatever decisions that they want to."

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North Carolina's House of Representatives will consider HB 673 in the coming weeks, after which it will head to the state Senate. The proposed law resembles 34 similar bills in 14 other states, according to the Equality Federation.