DES MOINES, Iowa — A new bill in the Iowa Legislature would make it illegal for minors to be present at drag performances.
Senate File 348 creates penalties for adults bringing a minor to a drag show, as well as the businesses hosting them. But some worry the effects of the legislation will be much broader.
About a year ago, Isabel Fagen went to a drag show in Des Moines. The experience wasn't totally what they were expecting.
"When I thought of drag, I just thought of drag queens and RuPaul's Drag Race, which are all amazing things. But then I discovered kings, and I kind of wanted to see if I can do it," Fagen said.
Fagen now performs as Atlas Midos, a local drag king. They performed in a show just a few days before SF348 was introduced and are now worried about how the bill could change that.
"To wake up a couple days later and learn that might not be allowed to exist anymore. It was absolutely devastating," they said.
The bill defines a drag show as one where a performer who exhibits a gender identity different than what they were assigned at birth "sings, lip-syncs, dances, reads or otherwise performs before an audience for entertainment."
Critics of the legislation say the definition of drag used in the bill is too broad and would punish things like cross-dressing in a play.
"This is ultimately just going to be a way to police people's gender expression. So that's all that this is going to amount to. If there is someone under 18 around, then you have to dress and behave in the way that we say you do," said Keenan Crow, Director of Policy & Advocacy for One Iowa.
An adult who brings a minor to a drag show would be guilty of a simple misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $855 or 30 days imprisonment, and the owner of a business hosting a drag show would be guilty of a serious misdemeanor, fined up to $10,000 or up to one year in prison.
But performers say they won't let fear keep them from the stage.
"If I could help at least one queer kid see, 'I could do this, I'm allowed to live as me all the time.' That's why I do it," Fagen said.
Local 5 reached out to Sen. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, who is the bill's only sponsor, for comment. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, we not received a response.