Montana Enacts Law Specifically Targeting Drag Story Hours

Virginia Chamlee

25 May 2023 at 11:16 am·3-min read

The anti-drag bill bars, among other things, anyone in drag from reading to children in schools and libraries. It goes into effect as as fewer than half the state's students are reading at or above grade level

<p>William Campbell/Getty</p> White nationalist groups protest a Drag Story Hour event in Livingston, Montana, two days before a ban was enacted — William Campbell/Getty
White nationalist groups protest a Drag Story Hour event in Livingston, Montana, two days before a ban was enacted

Montana has become the first state in the nation to specifically prohibit anyone wearing drag from reading to children in schools and libraries, seemingly targeting family-friendly Drag Story Hour events that have been subject to criticism from far-right groups.

The legislation, which went into effect immediately after being signed Monday, also prohibits minors from attending drag shows, and bans drag performances from occurring on public property where children could be present.

The measure specifically mentions "drag kings," "drag queens," and "drag story hours," and explicitly states: "A school or library that receives any form of funding from the state may not allow a sexually oriented performance or drag story hour ... on its premises during regular operating hours or at any school-sanctioned extracurricular activity."

Under the statute, minors who attend a drag show — or their parents — are entitled to bring legal action against the performers within 10 years of the event date to seek damages for “psychological, emotional, economic, and physical harm.”

Opponents of the bill argue that Drag Story Hours are family-friendly events, not sexual in nature, and meant only to inspire children to read. In September, the Montana Office of Public Instruction revealed that fewer than half of students in Montana were reading at or above their grade level.

The Associated Press reports that the bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Braxton Mitchell, said in April: “In my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as a family-friendly drag show."

The outlet further reports that it's unclear how often drag-themed reading events have been held at public schools or libraries in Montana, though Drag Story Hours have been held at private bookstores and event spaces in the state. Some of those events have seen protestors, though they would not be banned under state law, as they are held in privately owned businesses.

Other states have passed anti-drag bills that could affect Drag Story Hour events. In Florida, for instance, a bill signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month aims to restrict who can attend drag performances that are deemed adult entertainment, though it does not explicitly mention drag reading events held at public libraries. (The Florida law is being challenged in court.)

Another bill in Tennessee that aims to restrict drag performances was temporarily blocked in March by a federal judge after a group filed suit, claiming the measure violates their First Amendment rights.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.

A spate of anti-drag bills have cropped up in Republican legislatures around the country. In Kansas, a Republican state senator introduced a bill in January that would classify drag shows as obscenity, barring them from taking place at schools or in libraries. That bill — and another that prohibits the use of state funds for the production of drag shows — is now advancing in the state legislature.

Drag Story Hours have been subject to attacks from right-wing extremists amid the bans.

Earlier this week, Montana's Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law another bill that defines "sex" as a binary in the state's law, weeks after his child, who identifies as nonbinary, urged him not to.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.