A federal judge in Montana has temporarily blocked a new law that protects children from drag queen performances, ruling that it could ‘disproportionately’ harm the LGBT and Pride community.
U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris – appointed by President Obama in 2013 – suspended the law because, he argued, the 15,000 expected attendees of Montana Pride “cannot avoid chilled speech or exposure to potential civil or criminal liability.”
The law would “disproportionately harm not only drag performers, but any person who falls outside traditional gender and identity norms,” added Morris on Friday. Montana Pride attendees are once again able to hold events in public in front of children, as a result of the decision.
The law attempted to ban children from “sexually oriented” performances and forbids Pride events from taking place where children may be present. The law also prohibits “Drag Queen Story Hour,” in which sexually-dressed drag queens read books to children in schools or libraries.
Department of Justice spokeswoman Emily Flower hit back at the decision, telling POLITICO:
“We look forward to presenting our written response and full argument at the upcoming preliminary injunction hearing to defend the law and protect minors from sexually oriented performances.”
Notably, Brett Blomme – former head of the foundation Cream City LGBTQ+ which ran Drag Queen Story Hour – was arrested two years ago for possession of child pornography.
