Federal judge keeps ban against Montana anti-drag law in place while harshly criticizing it

 

Editor's note - It's sad when there is so much misery and chaos in the world that you miss positive news. This took place last week and I'm just getting news about it.

Last week, a federal judge kept in place a ban on enforcing Montana's anti-drag law. What makes this ruling significant was how harshly he criticized the law.

From The Advocate (with me highlighting the crucial part of the article):

A federal judge on Friday extended his stay on Montana’s controversial ban on drag queen story hours in schools and libraries. H.B. 359 was passed earlier this year and bans minors from attending all drag performances. The law was challenged in court by a collection of performers, activists, and businesses who claimed they had been harmed by the ban, which they believe is unconstitutional. 

 U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris on Friday continued his stay, finding the state had presented no evidence to show that children would be harmed by watching a drag show. The stay only prevents the law from taking effect as the case continues in court, but Morris harshly H.B. 359 and its backers in his decision, in effect calling their case baseless and highlighting how the law negatively impacts the greater LGBTQ+ community. 

 “State Defendants presented no evidence before the Court to indicate that limiting children’s exposure to speech and expression critical of gender norms or by gender non-conforming people bears any relationship to promoting children’s welfare,” Morris wrote in his 54-page ruling, but instead relied “largely on statements by members of the Montana legislature and witnesses at the hearings on H.B. 359.”

 . . .Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 359 into law in May. The law took effect immediately and was the first state law to ban drag queen story hours entirely. The stay was first granted in July after the plaintiffs complained it would force the cancellation of the upcoming Helena Pride celebration. The stay allowed the annual event to continue. 

Judge Morris' brutal statement against Montana's drag ban law underscores that this hysteria against drag queens is a con by wannabe social media influencers and pathetically bigoted sad sacks with nothing substantial going on in their lives. All they did was rage post and lie about drag queens, thereby creating a frenzy fueled by ignorance about drag culture, the fear of children being harmed, and hidden prejudices against LGBTQ people. 

Please note how these losers are conveniently absent when their whipped-up hysteria has to be defended in a court of law.