Montana has become the first state in the union to ban “drag story hour” for children at public schools and libraries.
The state’s Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the new bill on May 22 after the legislature passed it.
The legislation (pdf), which went immediately into effect, was written to prohibit minors from attending “sexually oriented shows” and watching obscene performances on public grounds.
The new law defines a drag queen as “a male or female performer who adopts a flamboyant or parodic feminine persona with glamorous or exaggerated costumes and makeup,” while a drag king is a performer who adopts a flamboyant male persona.
It further defines “drag story hour” as “an event hosted by a drag queen or drag king who reads children’s books and engages in other learning activities with minor children present.”
Gianforte signed the bill because he “believes it’s wildly inappropriate for little kids, especially preschoolers and kids in elementary school, to be exposed to sexualized content,” spokeswoman Kaitlin Price said in a statement.
