


The White House slammed Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) on Friday for signing two bills that liberals describe as being anti-LGBT.
Lee signed bills into law Thursday, one that criminalizes drag show performances in certain public places or anywhere they could be viewed by children, and another that bans minors from accessing gender transition surgeries and hormone therapy.
TENNESSEE ENACTS LAW RESTRICTING DRAG SHOWS AS RED STATES MULL COPYCAT BILLS
White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre described both as a sign of misplaced priorities on the part of Republicans who are ignoring more salient issues such as the economy, public safety, and schools.
"Instead of doing anything to address those real issues, right now you have a governor from Tennessee deciding to go after drag shows," she said. "What sense does that make?"
The drag ban, known as Senate Bill 3, bans "adult cabaret performances" within 1,000 feet of schools, houses of worship, or public parks, while the procedures bill will prohibit medical officials from prescribing puberty blockers or performing gender transition procedures on people under 18.
Dozens of similar bills are working their way through Republican-led state legislatures.
"It's part of a larger pattern from elected officials who espouse freedom and liberty but apparently think freedom of speech only extends to people who agree with them," Jean-Pierre said. "These ridiculous policies aren’t just unnecessary, they are dangerous."
Republican proponents of drag show bills say that without them, children can be exposed to sexual themes and images.
“For clarification, this bill is not targeting any group of people. It does not ban drag shows in public. It simply puts age restrictions in place to ensure that children are not present at sexually explicit performances,” Republican state Sen. Jack Johnson, who sponsored the Tennessee legislation, told CNN in response to allegations the law is meant to target members of the LGBT or, more specifically, transgender people.
Meanwhile, civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, have already threatened litigation and said the drag law is "a direct contradiction of our First Amendment right to express ourselves on and off the stage."
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A reporter asked Jean-Pierre what her message is to drag show performers.
"[President Joe Biden] has their backs. He has a record to show that," Jean-Pierre said. "He has a record that shows that he supports this community and will continue to be there for the community as long as it takes."