Tennessee governor targeting drag says a photo showing him dressed as a woman isn't a problem because it was 'lighthearted' when he did it
AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
- A photo purporting to show Tennessee's Republican governor in drag in 1977 resurfaced on Reddit.
- His office did not deny it was him, but said that it was "different" to what he's trying to ban.
- The bill would limit where drag shows can take place under the guise of protecting children.
Tennessee's Republican governor, who is trying to restrict drag performances in his state, dismissed any allegations of hypocrisy by saying that an old photo that appeared to show him dressed as a woman was just part of a "lighthearted tradition."
The Daily Beast contacted Gov. Bill Lee after a photo purporting to show Lee in drag in a 1977 high school yearbook was shared on Reddit. The black-and-white photograph is captioned "Hard Luck Woman."
Lee's spokesperson did not deny that the image was of the governor, but said that it was different to what Lee is targeting, which would stop drag shows taking place on public property.
"The bill specifically protects children from obscene, sexualized entertainment, and any attempt to conflate this serious issue with lighthearted school traditions is dishonest and disrespectful to Tennessee families," the spokesperson said.
Lee told reporters on Monday that he plans to sign a bill that would limit drag shows in public under the guise of protecting children.
A spokesperson for Lee's former high school, Franklin High School, told NBC News that the image was from its 1977 yearbook and that it "appears to be Bill Lee," but highlighted that there was no name under the photo or "any other form of identification."
The tradition Lee's office was referring to is likely a powderpuff football game, where boys dressed as girls and girls dressed as boys during homecoming week, NBC News reported.
The spokesperson also responded to a reporter's question about whether Lee remembered "dressing in drag in 1977." He responded by saying: "What a ridiculous, ridiculous question that is," in a video exchange shared by local news outlet The Tennessee Holler.
It is not clear if Lee dressing up in drag would be illegal under the proposed bill.
The bill does not explicitly define a "drag show," but instead talks of "adult cabaret performances" which include "male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest."
The bill has been criticized for having the potential to limit artists, and for how it could affect other types of entertainment like wrestling, The Tennessean reported.
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson declined to answer questions about how the legislation would be enforced, The Associated Press reported.
Democratic State Rep. Gloria Johnson argued that the bill doesn't make sense, as there are already obscenity laws in place.
"It is ALREADY 100% illegal to be obscene in front of children in TN, no matter what you are wearing or who you are," she tweeted on Monday. "Saying this is about children is disingenuous at best and a big fat lie at worst."
Tennessee House lawmakers passed the bill on Thursday, and it will now go to the Senate for a vote before arriving on Lee's desk.
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