The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Tennessee theater troupe's plea, letting stand a first-of-its-kind state law that essentially bans drag performances in public areas or areas where minors would be present, The Hill reported.
The justices, in an unsigned order, brushed off the challenge from Friends of George's, a "LGBTQ Theatre Company with A Mission," leaving the 2023 state law intact. The law doesn't mention drag shows directly but extends to a broad degree of "adult cabaret."
As the law was getting off the ground, within months, a Tennessee court ruled it unconstitutional, citing it violated free speech protections. However, in July, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision, ruling that Friends of George's didn't have standing to sue.