BREAKING: Tennessee Gov just signed a BAN on transgender medical care for minors AND on drag shows for kids

Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee just signed two huge bills into law that are sure to bring lawsuits.

The first bill bans transgender medical care for minors, which is something we’ve seen other governors do around the country.

The second bill, however, is a first of its kind in banning drag shows from public spaces and limiting them to age-appropriate venues. Meaning it will become illegal to take children to drag shows when the law takes affect.

 
Here’s more from the Tennessean:

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday signed into law a total ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender children, despite calls for him to veto the bill and threats of incoming litigation.

The new health law bans medications such as puberty blockers and hormone treatments to treat any underlying gender dysphoria cause, affecting Tennessee children who identify as transgender and nonbinary. Surgeries, which were rare in Tennessee, are also banned.

Children who currently take the medications will have until March 31, 2024, to cycle off of treatment. The law, which was fast-tracked by the legislature’s Republican supermajority in this year’s legislative session, will officially go into effect this summer.

The law was narrowly tailored to not ban any one medication, but rather medical treatment of an underlying diagnosis: gender dysphoria, in addition to “gender identity disorder, gender incongruence, or any mental condition, disorder, disability, or abnormality.”

Lee also signed off on a new law to prohibit “adult-oriented” entertainment, including “male and female impersonators,” from public property and limit it to age-restricted venues. The legislation was filed after a flurry of controversies over drag shows across the state.

The drag-related bill, Senate Bill 3, bans “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors,” as defined in Tennessee’s obscenity law.

The law will take affect on July 1.

It’s unclear how exactly the law might be enforced, but it could open up another avenue to challenge drag show performances in court. Violation of the law are a Class A misdemeanor on first offense and a Class E felony on second or subsequent offenses.

I think I might just pack up and move to Tennessee! Seriously, these two bills are much needed and I hope other states follow Tennessee’s example in banning drag shows for children. Well done Tennessee.

Of course they are both likely to be challenged in court, especially the ban on drag shows for kids. I think the ACLU has promised a lawsuit on that one.


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