The Minneapolis City Council just passed a resolution protecting drag performance and drag culture as free speech.
The governing body of the Minnesota city presented the resolution on Wednesday morning, with Council President Andrea Jenkins presiding over its signing.
Jenkins, the first ever openly transgender Black person ever elected city council president, proclaimed, "Love is love" prior to speaking about the resolution and added they were "so proud to be able to present this resolution today."
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Surrounded by over a dozen supporters of the historical resolution, including drag queens, the council president explained the importance of the document that she authored in light of "attacks" made against the LGBTQ community in Minneapolis and throughout the country.
The president noted it’s also about defending "our trans youth" from anti-trans bills passed in state legislatures throughout the country.
"And it’s not just for our community here in Minneapolis, but it’s for communities all around the country, 'cause we know that drag, and drag culture, the LGBT community writ large, and specifically our trans are being attacked each and every day in legislatures and city halls all across America," Jenkins said. "And so we are fighting back."
Jenkins then read from the text of the resolution, which featured several points detailing the historical prevalence of the drag community, how it is currently a form of expression and a profession for many people of "all gender expressions and all races."
The resolution also noted that drag has "been used as a form of political protest in response to instances of discrimination, homophobia, and the targeting of the LGBTQ+ community through policing, community harassment, and brutality."
The text expressed the city’s commitment to protect modern drag expression from current forms of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, stating, "The City of Minneapolis uplifts efforts that protect and promote drag culture and transgender lives, such as the creation of West Hollywood’s drag laureate program and the repeal of New York’s ‘loitering for the purpose of prostitution’ law; and we celebrate the important legacy of all drag artists who have offered their creativity and generosity for generations to support community-building and healing to not only the LGBTA+ community but the broader community as well."
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The resolution also blasted the supposedly anti-trans and anti-drag bills that have been passed throughout the country in recent months, stating, "Nearly 500 anti-transgender legislative bills have been introduced across the country this year alone, with over 30 bills that specifically aim to restrict and limit drag performance. This number is expected to grow."
"Minneapolis will continue to take actions to remain a safe and welcoming city in steadfast support of drag artists and performance, drag history, culture, and complete freedom of gender expression, and we recognize, honor, and celebrate the contributions of our renowned drag community," it added.
Jenkins and several of those standing with the council president took turns reading the text of the resolution aloud to the chamber. After they finished, one of the drag queens who was present gave a few words, calling the passing of the resolution "pretty spectacular."
He mentioned that he has "longtime friends" in the community who live in Florida and Tennessee and that their livelihoods are "being threatened and they are afraid of laws that are being introduced, and some have passed."
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"Days like today remind me that we are living in a very special place, in the city Minneapolis, that does protect us and appreciate us," he added.
At the bottom of the resolution were the signatures of Jenkins, Mayor Jacob Frey, and Minneapolis City Clerk Casey Joe Carl.
