In Cookeville, where Williams is from, a group of far-right protesters have demonstrated in front of drag shows. Recently,at an 18-and-up drag brunch in town, where protestors held up a Nazi flag and yelled from across the street of the event.
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, the drafter of the state's drag show bill, told NPR in a statement,"Just as current law prohibits strip clubs from admitting children, this legislation would also prohibit sexually suggestive drag shows from being performed on public property, or on any non-age-restricted private property where a minor could be present. This is a common-sense measure that has broad support from Tennesseans.
Other state proposals have language that defines a drag performer as one who"exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer's gender assigned at birth." That definition's broadness leaves theater shows or even female comedians dressed in pants at risk of violating these laws, Sykes said.
South Carolina state Rep. Thomas Beach told NPR that the language in his earlier version of his state's bill was admittedly too broad. But he plans to make to changes to the policy, which he believessaid support is high.