I could lose everything: Dallas drag performers say Texas bills could impact their jobs
Drag performers worry new legislation targeting drag shows could affect their source of income.
By Elizabeth Myong, KERA | April 28, 2023 9:45 am
Arts & Culture, Business & Your Money, Government & Politics, KERA, Texas Newsroom
Yfat Yossifor / KERA News
Raquel Blake dances during game show night at The Round-Up Saloon and Dance Hall in Dallas.
From KERA:
On the dance floor of Dallas The Round-Up Saloon and Dance Hall, Daphne Rio lip syncs and struts to Selena Gomezs Hands to Myself. Rio wears auburn pigtails, bold red lipstick, glittery makeup and clear high heels for the show.
Wednesday is The Round-Ups weekly game show night. Colorful lights and the glow of a revolving disco ball shine down on the performer as the music blasts and audience members sip on drinks. ... Rio is passionate about drag as an art form thats a mix of costuming, makeup, drama, comedy. Its also Rios profession.
Yfat Yossifor / KERA News
Daphne Rio dances up to Logan Bourbon during a performance on game show night at The Round-Up Saloon and Dance Hall in Dallas.
Lawmakers in the Texas Legislature have
recently proposed bills regulating drag shows. Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, proposed
House Bill 1266 which would require any business that hosts drag shows to pay additional taxes and face licensing restrictions because it would be classified as a sexually-oriented business.
Schatzline did not respond to an interview request. However, in February he spoke out after a
video surfaced on social media of him wearing a dress for a school project as a teenager. Schatzline tweeted thats not a sexually explicit drag show. He also posted a video response on his Twitter account in March, saying his legislation aims to ban sexually explicit drag shows and preserve the innocence of the next generation in Texas.
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