ACLU of Iowa: Drag show bans are unconstiutional

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that cities with bans on drag performances violate the U-S constitution.

The organization focused on 7 cities overall across the state. According to the ACLU, four of those cities have now either adjusted their ordinance or said they will do so. The ACLU is now asking the three remaining cities to amend their ordinances.

“Drag has always been a way for my community to say we’re here, this is what we love and we’re not going to put up with it,” said Loretta Stone, a drag queen based in Des Moines.

The ACLU says the ordinances must change and are unconstitutional for three reasons. The first of which is free speech.

“We’ve been working on these requests for some time now but it is fitting to send them during pride month. It’s a reminder to all cities that they need to respect free speech and equal protection rights,” said Shefali Aurora, Staff Attorney for ACLU of Iowa.

Second, they say it violates equal protection for the LGBTQ community.

“For example, a school play where they’re doing a production of Shakesphere’s ‘Twelfth Night’ which includes a woman disguised as a man would technically violate the ordinance,” said Aurora.

And a third reason they gave was due to wording in ordinances calling drag shows “adult entertainment.” They say the overall label includes every show whether it’s sexually explicit or not.

Lexi Belle, a drag queen based in Cedar Rapids, says drag is not adult-oriented but rather a form of performance art and entertainment. Belle says in part “performers respect their audience” and that all-age shows are “comedic and focus on lip-syncing to popular songs.”

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