MONTGOMERY — Legislation banning public libraries from hosting or sponsoring drag performances in the presence of minors passed the Senate County and Municipal Government committee on Tuesday.
The original version of House Bill 67 (HB67) by House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) would have prohibited public K-12 schools and public libraries from knowingly presenting or sponsoring drag performances in the presence of a minor without the consent of the minor's parent or legal guardian.
It would also prohibit certain state entities from allowing minors to share certain facilities with members of the opposite sex during overnight programs operated or sponsored by the state entity unless the other individuals are family members of the minor and the minor's parent consents. The second part of the bill's provision was due to drama last year after a Huntsville father revealed that Molly Bowman, a biological male who identifies as a female, would be working in the overnight camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp in Huntsville, where he planned to send his daughter.
State Sen. Chris Elliott's (R-Josephine) amendment passed in committee on Tuesday, limiting the bill to public libraries "where the problem is occurring."
"I've gotten a lot of calls from schools, specifically from theater organizations," Elliott said during the committee meeting. "It limits it to libraries, and it excludes the K-12."
Ted Halley, a former transgender person who detransitioned, said at the committee meeting on Tuesday that he supported the original bill.
"I was transgender. I lived 12 years that way. I cut off my male anatomy. I had a BA in and out," Halley told the committee. "I can't grow a beard anymore. I'm saying this to tell you that what you're hearing on the other side, I don't think, is the whole story. There's another side of the story. Drag queen story hour whether it's in school, which I think you should put it back in, or a library I think is very dangerous. I want to point out there are gay-affirming organizations. Gays against Groomers, Our Duty, and others that you can go on…I have articles if you want it afterwards that say that drag shows are grooming children to be transgender. Transgenderism is extremely dangerous. It's not reversible. I will never have my anatomy back. Children on hormones and puberty blockers. Guess what? It damages them for life, and it's encouraging them to go down this road. This agenda is very aggressive. It's not user-friendly. It's only a one-way door. When I left, guess what I got on my back? A big red target and a kick in the boot. I urge you to pass this and put schools back in."
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