(LGBT) Tennessee's new anti-drag laws would make Purim celebrations illegal
This Purim as every Purim, Jews around the world gathered in costumes and masks to recite and parody the story of Esther. The Purim spiel is very much the original Drag Story Hour, where cross-dressing as Esther, Vashti, Mordecai or Haman is a favorite part of the celebration for adults and children alike. Great rabbinic minds throughout the ages have defined this practice not as a biblical transgression but as an integral part of the holiday.
Last week, the great minds of the Tennessee legislature took steps to outlaw this Jewish cultural tradition.
A bill signed into law there makes it illegal to stage “adult cabaret” anywhere a child might encounter it. Like, for example, at any Jewish community center Purim spiel or carnival where some might choose to portray characters of a different gender and, especially, at The Vashti Ball, New York’s largest queer Purim party, which features drag and welcomes children and teens in a non-alcoholic section.
Time magazine says 11 more states are poised to follow Tennessee’s lead by the end of the year. They reflect the growing right-wing movement that has staged protests, often violent, outside Drag Queen Story Hour events, fueled in part by conservative pundits including Ben Shapiro.
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