Kevin Bacon joined a heated debate Sunday by posting a video protesting bans on drag shows in front of children.
The 64-year-old actor shared a clip of himself and wife Kyra Sedgwick dancing around to Taylor Swift’s “Karma” while both wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, “Drag is an art and drag is a right.”
The video caption said, “Drag bans are bad karma. Right now, drag performers and the LGBTQIA+ community need our help. Tap the link in my bio to shop the #SixDegreesOfKB campaign supporting the [ACLU] Drag Defense Fund in the nationwide effort to protect creative expression or make a gift. #DragIsARight.”
#DragBans are bad karma. Right now, drag performers and the LGBTQIA+ community need our help. Shop the @SixDegreesofKB campaign supporting the @ACLU Drag Defense Fund or make a gift https://t.co/Ef2Eiz8Mzg #DragIsARight pic.twitter.com/BUyfecVFA4
— Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon) April 23, 2023
The “Footloose” star was reacting to legislation introduced in multiple states which would prohibit sexually explicit drag performances where children might be present.
Tennessee was the first state to pass this type of bill into law last month, and now several other states are introducing similar legislation. The new law prohibits “adult cabaret performances” on public property or in places where children may be present, per the Independent. This includes both “male and female entertainers.”
Many of Bacon’s followers pointed out that the legislation doesn’t ban drag shows but rather limits them to adults-only audiences.
“No one, and I mean no one, is out there pushing to ban Drag Queens. Why is it so hard to consider age inappropriate behavior as the root of the blowback? Be the draggiest drag queen you can be, just not at elementary schools,” one account posted on Twitter.
“Add Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick to the list of people promoting the sexualization of children because no one is trying to ban drag,” another account shared. “We’re trying to keep it away from children, which is a cause anyone-not-a-pedophile could dance about.”
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“Oh look another virtue signaling celebrity who doesn’t really understand the issue. Shocking,” a third account posted. “We’re not protesting drag queens or the freedom for them to perform. We’re just asking for kids not to be exposed to implicitly sexual performances, let alone giving them.”
Other celebrities are joining in the protest against these new “anti-drag” bills, and critics have started calling them. During a recent performance in Tennessee, recording artist Lizzo featured several performers who were alumni of the popular reality show, “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” as The Daily Wire previously reported. The singer brought them onstage at the all-ages show.
“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,’” Lizzo said during her performance. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most?”