U.S. Bill Introduced to Ban Drag Shows From Involving, Sexualizing Children
Lawmakers in Ohio are taking a stand against the sexualization of children by introducing new legislation that would ban drag shows and other sexually-suggestive or explicit performances from using minors.
Introduced by Republican state Rep. Tim Schaffer, House Bill 180 amends Ohio’s child endangerment statute to include involving minors in any material or performance that “suggests a minor is participating or engaging in sexual activity, masturbation, or bestiality.” Adults violating the law could face fines starting at $1,000 and six months in prison.
“Given our heightened focus on human trafficking and the role money plays in trafficking children, I knew I had to take action to make sure this activity does not occur again. We can do better to protect innocent children and we must do better,” Schaffer declared in a statement.
Cleveland.com reported that HB180 is motivated in part by a drag event last December at JD Hendersons, a Lancaster-area bar where 9-year-old drag performer Jacob Measley, a.k.a. “Miss Mae Hem” danced in a suggestive costume while accepting dollar bills from an audience (ostensibly for a charitable event).
On January 30, Lancaster Republican Mayor David Scheffler issued a statement downplaying the incident by stressing that the “minor was fully clothed and was not touched by anyone in the audience,” that his parents were in attendance, that police found “no violations of city ordinances or state laws” and received “no new complaints of this activity” at the bar, and that the bar owners supposedly “did not approve” the activity and promptly banned the drag troupe upon learning about it. (Read more from “U.S. Bill Introduced to Ban Drag Shows From Involving, Sexualizing Children” HERE)
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