Massachusetts Town Bans Drag Show At Pride Event

CBS News reports:

A battle is brewing in the town of North Brookfield over a Pride event and whether a drag show should be allowed as part of the celebration on the town common June 24. In a 2 to 1 vote last week, the Board of Selectmen reversed itself from a vote in March, saying the Pride celebration could go on, but without the drag show calling it adult entertainment that requires a special permit.

“The majority of shows include sexual innuendo and include behavior that exaggerates all aspects of individual sexuality,” said chairman Jason Petraitis. The American Civil Liberties Union sent the town a letter calling the vote a violation of civil rights. “The rules are very clear that in public forums like the town common people need to be free to express themselves,” said ACLU attorney Ruth Bourquin.

Boston’s NPR affiliate reports:



North Brookfield’s decision is another example of rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment across the nation, the ACLU said. The civil rights organization said it is currently tracking nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S., including some that would ban or censor performances like drag shows.

The ACLU said it had not received a reply from the town as of Tuesday afternoon and had no additional comment. Board Chair Jason Petraitis said at the April 11 meeting that he changed his mind after seeing videos from a drag show in a nearby town that contained gestures and comments that he considered inappropriate for children.

Board member Elizabeth Brooke Canada voted to allow the the drag show to go on, saying she has seen such shows and has never witnessed anything “unsavory.”