WINFIELD — ACLU West Virginia says the Putnam County Commission has passed an ordinance that closely resembles Florida's drag ban.
Tuesday night, the commission unanimously passed the ordinance.
While the ordinance does not outlaw drag performances in Putnam County and it does not bar young people from seeing those performances, it, instead, stokes fear and hatred of the LGBTQ+ community by implying that they are a danger to children, and it chills free speech by creating confusion over what kinds of performances are permitted in the county, according to the ACLU-WV.
Every member of the public who spoke in favor of the ordinance cited either drag or this weekend’s Putnam Pride festival as their reasoning.
The ordnance will prevent minors from attending live adult entertainment performances.
“Last week, Florida’s so-called drag ban was blocked by a federal court," Eli Baumwell, ACLU-WV advocacy director, said. "Putnam County Commissioners had a choice this evening: pander to the pro-censorship crowd or protect taxpayers from potential costly litigation. They chose to pander."
Baumwell said drag is not obscene.
"Drag is many things: It is art; it is protest; and it is protected speech under the First Amendment," Baumwell said. "One thing drag is not is inherently obscene."
More than 20 members of the public spoke out during the commission meeting.
Putnam County Commission President Andy Skidmore said that the ordinance was meant to protect kids and has nothing to do with sexual orientation.
"You know, I understand their concerns, but also the new ordinance that I wanted to point out is sexual orientation doesn’t matter," Skidmore said. "So whether someone is gay or straight, that doesn’t matter in this ordinance."