Petition to Protect First Amendment Rights and Expression of Drag Performers at Pride of Morehead

Dear Mayor and Morehead City Council Members, 

On April 12, 2025, from 10 AM to 6 PM, the Pride of Morehead event will celebrate love, diversity, and community. However, recent concerns about potential restrictions on drag performances at this event threaten the very principles of free speech and artistic expression protected under the First Amendment.  

Drag performance is an essential part of LGBTQ+ culture and history, serving as a powerful form of self-expression and storytelling. It is a celebration of identity and creativity, no different from other artistic performances that take place in public spaces. Efforts to suppress or restrict these performances are not only discriminatory but also unconstitutional.  

 

 

 

Legal Precedents Protecting Drag Performances

Laws restricting or banning drag performances in outdoor or public spaces have been struck down or are being actively challenged in courts across the country, affirming that such laws violate First Amendment rights:  

1. Tennessee’s Anti-Drag Law Ruled Unconstitutional – In June 2023, a federal judge struck down Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation law attempting to restrict drag performances in public, ruling that it was "unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad" and infringed on free speech (Friend’s of George’s v. Tennessee).  
   
   2. Texas Drag Ban Blocked – A federal judge blocked a similar Texas law in 2023, ruling that it was an unconstitutional attempt to suppress LGBTQ+ expression and disproportionately targeted drag performers (Woodlands Pride v. Texas).  
   
   3. Florida’s Anti-Drag Law on Hold – A law in Florida aimed at restricting drag performances was temporarily blocked by a federal judge, who stated that it likely violated the First Amendment and unfairly targeted LGBTQ+ events (Hamburger Mary’s v. DeSantis).  
   
   4. Montana and Arkansas Drag Restrictions Challenged – Similar laws in these states have faced lawsuits and legal scrutiny, with courts increasingly ruling against efforts to restrict drag performances in public spaces.  
   

Our Call to Action  

We, the undersigned, urge the Morehead City Council and Mayor to uphold the constitutional rights of all performers at Pride of Morehead by ensuring:  

- No unjust restrictions are placed on drag performances.  
- Equal treatment of all performers under the law, without discrimination based on gender expression or identity.  
- A clear and public commitment to protecting free speech and artistic expression at city-approved events.  

Morehead has an opportunity to stand on the right side of history by ensuring that all performers—drag artists included—are free to express themselves without fear of censorship or discrimination.  

Lastly, we highly encourage the Mayor, City Council, and citizens of Morehead to visit the following link with information provided by FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights & Expression), which further details the legality of drag, the first amendment, and freedom of speech. https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/drag-free-speech-and-first-amendment

Sign this petition to support free expression and stand with drag performers in Morehead!