Boy’s drag performance at Ohio bar prompts lawmaker’s action
The Toledo Blade reports the drag queen performance of a 9-year-old boy at a bar outside Ohio’s capital city has prompted a state legislator to propose a law aimed at closing what he says is a, “loophole in child exploitation laws.”
Legislation proposed by Rep. Timothy Schaffer, a Lancaster Republican, would update child endangering laws to prevent performances by children that simulate sexual activity and appeal to “the prurient interest.”
Schaffer says Ohio can “do better” to protect children.
Jacob Measley’s mother, Jerri, disagrees. She says her son is not allowed to dance to songs with sexual language and that his moves were learned in dance and gymnastics classes.
The furor began after Jacob, of Perrysburg, performed in drag as “Miss Mae Hem” at a Lancaster bar outside Columbus in December.
Confederate flags, not rainbow ones, banned in schools
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports the superintendent of a Wyoming school district says rainbow flags and LGBTQ-related clothing are not banned in the school district despite a contrary message to students.
School officials said they stopped students from waving both Confederate and rainbow flags at McCormick Junior High School in Cheyenne on April 17 because it was disruptive. The Laramie County School District also said in the statement that it would not allow the display of Confederate flags going forward.
Students in the gay-straight alliance at McCormick said were told April 17 that they could no longer have any LGBTQ-related apparel or rainbow colors at school either.
However, superintendent Boyd Brown said April 19 that was not the district’s intention. He said Confederate flags are banned because, like swastikas, they are viewed as a hate symbol.
Naval Academy will bar transgender students in fall 2020
The Capital Gazette reports the U.S. Naval Academy will ban people who are transgender from attending the school, beginning with the 2020 school year.
The Defense Department confirmed the policy change to the Capital Gazette on April 15. The school in Annapolis, Maryland, currently accepts transgender students and retains midshipmen who transition to another gender.
The change follows a policy shift under the Trump Administration to bar people who are transgender from serving in the military. The new policy applies to students enrolled in the 2020-21 school year and beyond.
The Obama Administration lifted restrictions on transgender service members in 2016. It allows them to serve openly and covered gender affirmation surgery.
Midshipman Regan Kibby, currently enrolled in the academy, is one of six service members suing the Trump administration over its ban.
Kentucky city rejects anti-discrimination ordinance
The Bowling Green Daily News reports officials in a South Central Kentucky city have voted against an ordinance that would add specific housing and employment protections for gay, lesbian and transgender residents.
The Bowling Green City Commission voted 3-2 on April 16 to reject the first reading of the ordinance, though another reading is set for May 7.
More than 100 people attended the meeting and 24 spoke in favor of the proposal while nine opposed it.
The newspaper reports Bowling Green is the largest city in the state that hasn’t added formal protections for residents based on sexual orientation and identity. n