Current:Home > ContactJudge temporarily blocks Tennessee city from enforcing ban on drag performances on public property-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Judge temporarily blocks Tennessee city from enforcing ban on drag performances on public property
lotradecoin trading rewards program View Date:2024-12-25 16:54:40
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked city officials in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, from enforcing an ordinance designed to ban drag performances from taking place on public property.
An order issued Friday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. bars the city from enforcing the ordinance during the BoroPride Festival scheduled for next weekend.
The judge’s order came in a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee on behalf of the Tennessee Equality Project, a nonfprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and has hosted the BoroPride Festival since 2016. The order said the city of Murfreesboro — located about 34 miles (55 kilometers) south of Nashville — and the equality project reached an agreement that the city will not enforce the ordinance during the Oct. 28 festival.
The lawsuit alleges the ordinance discriminates against the LGBTQ+ community and violates the First Amendment by chilling free speech rights.
The ACLU said the order “confirms that the community’s free speech rights will be protected at the BoroPride Festival” as the lawsuit continues to be heard in court.
“We are relieved that the court has taken action to ensure that Murfreesboro’s discriminatory ordinance will not be enforced during the BoroPride festival. We look forward to a safe, joyful celebration of Murfreesboro’s LGBTQ+ community,” Tennessee Equality Project Executive Director Chris Sanders said in a statement.
The legal challenge is the latest development in the ongoing political battle over LGBTQ+ rights in Tennessee, where the state’s conservative leaders have sought to limit events where drag performers may appear, restrict classroom conversations about gender and sexuality, and ban gender-affirming care.
Conservative activists alleged that drag performances that took place during the 2022 Pride event resulted in the “illegal sexualization of kids.”
The equality project said the performers were fully clothed and denied the shows were inappropriate. The city warned the organization it would deny any future event permits and later approved updating its “community decency standards” intended to “assist in the determination of conduct, materials, and events that may be judged as obscene or harmful to minors.”
A spokesperson for the city did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the judge’s order.
veryGood! (7388)
Related
- How a small group of nuns in rural Kansas vex big companies with their investment activism
- Biofuel groups envision ethanol-powered jets. But fueling the effort has not been easy
- U.S.-born kitefoiler J.J. Rice dies at age 18 in diving accident weeks before his Olympics debut
- Rebellious. Cool. Nostalgic. Bringing ‘The Bikeriders’ to life, and movie theaters
- A stowaway groundhog is elevated to local icon
- McDonald's ends AI drive-thru orders — for now
- 'Partners in crime:' Boston Celtics stud duo proves doubters wrong en route to NBA title
- Ian McKellen Hospitalized After Falling Off Stage During London Performance
- Conservative are pushing a ‘parental rights’ agenda in Florida school board races. But will it work?
- Russian President Vladimir Putin set to visit Kim Jong Un in North Korea
Ranking
- Big Georgia county to start charging some costs to people who challenge the eligibility of voters
- Former GOP Rep. George Nethercutt, who defeated House Speaker Tom Foley in 1994, dies at 79
- Horoscopes Today, June 16, 2024
- Supreme Court to hear Nvidia bid to scuttle shareholder lawsuit
- Usher Cancels Atlanta Concert Hours Before Show to Rest and Heal
- Melinda French Gates on disrupting society with new philanthropic focus, finding her voice
- HBO's 'Hard Knocks' to feature entire NFL division for first time, will follow AFC North race
- Supporters of bringing the Chiefs to Kansas have narrowed their plan and are promising tax cuts
Recommendation
-
Alabama lawyer accused of sexually assaulting handcuffed inmate, lawsuit says
-
Supervisors vote to allow solar panel farm in central Mississippi over residents’ objections
-
What's open and closed on Juneteenth 2024? Details on Costco, Walmart, Starbucks, Target, more
-
Carrie Underwood, Husband Mike Fisher and Kids Safe After Fire at Nashville Home
-
State, local officials failed 12-year-old Pennsylvania girl who died after abuse, lawsuits say
-
Victims’ advocate Miriam Shehane dies at age 91
-
Retirement bites? Almost half of Gen Xers say they'll need a miracle to retire.
-
Pro-Palestinian encampment cleared from Cal State LA, days after building takeover