A recent incident at a Nashville concert points to the confusion around a new Tennessee law prohibiting some types of drag shows.
Entertainer Hayley Kiyoko alleged an “undercover cop” warned her she would be liable for prosecution if she performed with drag queens during a May 1 show in Nashville in spite of a recent stay to the law in federal court.
The “Girls Like Girls” singer posted on social media, saying she’d been warned that if she proceeded, she could be liable for legal action that might be taken under Tennessee’s new drag queen law.
“I was advised by local law enforcement that having a drag performance at my all-ages show could result in legal action,” Kiyoko said in a video on Instagram. “They warned us to not bring any drag performers on stage. I was shattered as you can see in the videos I recorded reacting to the situation in real time before the show started.”
A spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department said the department had no role in the encounter, did not advise Kiyoko of any legal problems over Senate Bill 3, nor would it be within the department’s purview to do so.