Madonna calls out Tennessee’s anti-LGBTQ laws ahead of tour
“Anyone with half a brain knows not to f**k with a drag queen.”
Madonna has called out mounting anti-LGBTQ legislation as she adds more tour dates to her roster.
Among 80 dates across North America and Europe, her career-spanning Celebration Tour will stop in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena in December.
In sharing the news that she’ll perform in Tennessee, Madonna slammed the state’s Governor Bill Lee for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
Lee signed in the bill – which Madonna called “unacceptable and inhumane” – to ban drag shows in the state in March.
The bill restricts “adult cabaret performances,” which it defines as including “male or female impersonators.”
These performances are banned in locations “where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”
President Biden has described the wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation as “close to sinful.”
The bill made Tennessee the first state to explicitly ban drag shows in public spaces.
This won’t stop Madonna and Bob the Drag Queen, who opens for the pop icon, from taking to the stage.
Madonna addressed the issue in a press release for the tour.
“These so-called laws to protect our children are unfounded and pathetic”
“It’s creating an unsafe environment; it makes America a dangerous place for our most vulnerable citizens, especially trans women of colour,” she said, Billboard reports.
“Also, these so-called laws to protect our children are unfounded and pathetic.”
“Anyone with half a brain knows not to f**k with a drag queen,” she added.
“Bob and I will see you from the stage in Nashville where we will celebrate the beauty that is the queer community.”
Human Rights Campaign is actively tracking more than 410 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced in statehouses across the country.
Also, around 180 of those bills, if signed into law, would restrict the rights of transgender people.
Quoting such statistics, Madonna committed to donating a portion of proceeds from her to show to support trans rights organisations.