Lizzo spites Tennessee drag ban by inviting drag queens on stage at Knoxville concert

Lizzo has defied Tennesse’s controversial drag ban by welcoming drag performers onstage during her concert in Knoxville.

Several RuPaul’s Drag Race alums joined the Grammy winner’s show on Friday 21 April at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Addressing thousands of fans in the crowd, Lizzo noted that she received requests to cancel her shows in Tennessee following Gov BillLee’s ban on public drag performances.

But the “Grrrls” singer said she believed the Volunteer State needed to hear “her message” the most.

The drag ban, which has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge, forbids “adult cabaret entertainment” on public property or in locations where it could be viewed by a minor — defining the term as “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators.”

“In light of recent and tragic events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee, don’t go to Tennessee,’” Lizzo told the cheering crowd. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most? Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences?”

Lizzo thanked drag performers for “standing up for their rights and protecting each other.” Some of the drag queens who shared the stage with Lizzo, including Aquaria, Kandy Muse and Cordelia Facade, then took to social media to thank her for the invitation.

“Thank you so much for the platform for me and the drag race girls and especially for uplifting the queens on Tennessee!,” Aquaria wrote in an Instagram comment. “Those ladies are all so strong and brave and I know tonight was definitely the best of a tricky situation for everyone. Thanks for shedding light for our friends who definitely need our hand these days. We appreciate it.”

Kandy Muse also shared pictures of the performers backstage with a very succinct message.

“F*** the drag ban! THANK YOU @lizzobeating,” she tweeted.

The ban was signed into law in March, but a federal judge has since put a temporary hold on the ban citing First Amendment issues.

Tennessee Republicans have passed some of the most stringent measures against members of the LGTBQ+ community, including law restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, under the guise that they’re protecting children.

US District Judge Thomas Parker argued in a filing last month that the state failed to make a compelling argument as to why Tennessee needed the new law, adding that the court also agrees the statute is likely vague and overly broad.

His decision came after Memphis-based Friends of George’s, an LGBTQ+ theatre company, filed a federal lawsuit against the state.

The word “drag” doesn’t appear in the new law, which instead changed the definition of adult cabaret in Tennessee to mean “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors.”