For decades, drag has been a vibrant and evolving art form in Ohio, with performers like Nina West at the forefront of its cultural integration. However, the community now faces an unprecedented challenge with the introduction of House Bill 249, the ‘Indecent Exposure Modernization Act’. This legislation, which passed the Ohio House in March and awaits Senate consideration, has sparked a wave of concern and activism among drag performers and their allies.
Understanding the Impact of House Bill 249
The proposed bill aims to strengthen existing indecency laws and protect children from sexually explicit performances. However, critics argue that its broad restrictions could significantly impact drag performers, venues, and transgender Ohioans. The legislation ties ‘adult cabaret’ restrictions to expressions of gender identity, raising fears of increased scrutiny and harassment for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
Nina West, a prominent drag performer and LGBTQ+ figure, expressed the dehumanizing effect of the legislation. ‘It’s really incredibly dehumanizing to hear these people talk about and try to legislate and put parameters on the thing that I do for a living,’ West told The Advocate. This sentiment is echoed by many in the drag community, who feel that the bill misunderstands and misrepresents their art form.
The Human Face of the Drag Community
The drag community in Ohio is a diverse and inclusive group, encompassing straight allies, transgender performers, and artists of color. Performers like Virginia West, a Columbus drag veteran, emphasize the disconnect between political rhetoric and the reality of their community. ‘I think it’s a cover-up. I think they’re really trying to just attack trans people,’ Virginia West stated.
Carmen Berry, a Black Transgender Woman and drag artist, highlighted the daily challenges posed by the legislation. ‘I have to wake up and give myself the full protection of armor every time I walk out of the house,’ Berry said. Anisa Love, the reigning Miss Gay Ohio, described a climate of anxiety among performers and transgender residents. ‘The feeling across the state is one of fear,’ Love noted.
Defining Drag and Challenging Misconceptions
Drag is often misunderstood as merely men dressing as women, but performers emphasize its broader scope. Bryanna Nagy, who performs as Lady B. Davenport, is a cisgender woman, challenging the central premise of many anti-drag proposals. ‘It’s not just one thing,’ Nagy said, explaining that drag includes cisgender women, transgender performers, nonbinary artists, drag kings, drag queens, comedians, dancers, and more.
Nagy traces her understanding of drag back to childhood pop culture, pointing to characters like Hannah Montana as examples of performance and transformation. ‘That’s what drag really is at the base of it. It’s just a bigger version of yourself,’ she explained. This diversity and creativity are what lawmakers and critics often fail to understand, according to performers.
The timing of the proposed drag ban feels particularly jarring to performers who have witnessed drag’s rise to mainstream acceptance. Nina West recalled touring internationally after her appearance on RuPaul‘s Drag Race and realizing how perceptions of drag had changed. Virginia West saw similar transformations in Columbus, where audiences at District West, the venue she helped open, regularly extend beyond the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite the backlash, performers like Virginia West intend to keep performing in drag in public, even at the risk of arrest. ‘I still live in Ohio because I love this place,’ Nina West said, emphasizing her commitment to staying and fighting for the community she loves.
