Banning Drag Story Hours in Libraries (S. 733)

This bill would prohibit any state agency, school district, library, or other institution supported by public funds from hosting a drag story hour or any other drag show attended by people under age 18.

Any institution that violates this law would lose its public funds. The attorney general would charge the institution a fine of $500 for each person who attended the performance and issue a press release reprimanding the institution and its chief executive officer. Lastly, this bill gives a parent or legal guardian of a minor the ability to file a lawsuit against the institution that hosted the drag performance.

We oppose this bill because:

• It violates the First Amendment. Drag is a form of art and expression, and to ban it is to suppress the performers’ speech and artistic expression.

• This bill would further stigmatize the LGBTQ community, a group that is already heavily discriminated against in South Carolina.

• This bill would threaten the livelihood of people working at libraries other places that receive public funds.