On March 31, Judge Thomas Lee Robinson Parker of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee ordered a temporary injunction halting a state law that criminalizes some drag performances, The Washington Blade reported.
The law was slated to go into effect April 1.
Memphis-based LGBTQ+ theater company Friends of George’s had sued the state, claiming the law was unconstitutional under the First Amendment. According to Jurist, Parker stated, “If Tennessee wishes to exercise its police power in restricting speech it considers obscene, it must do so within the constraints and framework of the United States Constitution.”
Parker’s temporary injunction will expire 14 days after issuance unless he decides to extend it for an additional period under the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure. The court will hold a status conference this week with all parties to schedule future hearings.
The office of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (a Republican who recently sent letters to Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid seeking confirmation that they will not sell or dispense mifepristone, an abortion-inducing drug, in the state) and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
—Andrew Davis