Avast ye scallywags! A judge be haltin' the ban on fancy-dress parades in Tennessee. No landlubber ordinance shall prevail!
2023-10-22
Avast ye scurvy officials of Murfreesboro! A federal judge be temporarily thwartin' ye efforts to ban drag performances on public land. Arrr, seems like ye be sailin' against the winds of freedom!
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a city in Tennessee from enforcing an ordinance that prohibits drag performances on public property during an upcoming Pride festival. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of a non-profit group called the Tennessee Equality Project. The ACLU argues that the ordinance discriminates against the LGBTQ+ community and violates free speech protections. The city of Murfreesboro and the equality project have reached an agreement that the ordinance will not be enforced during the Pride festival. The ACLU states that the court's order "confirms that the community's free speech rights will be protected." The Tennessee Equality Project's executive director expressed relief at the court's action, stating that they look forward to a safe and joyful celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. This lawsuit is part of an ongoing effort to challenge Republican-led proposals to limit drag performances in public places, with GOP lawmakers arguing that such performances are inappropriate for children. Conservative activists claim that the drag performances at a previous Pride event sexualized children, but the equality project denies these accusations, stating that the performers were fully clothed. The city of Murfreesboro has warned the equality project about future event permits and has updated its "community decency standards" to determine what may be considered obscene or harmful to minors.