REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - CAMP Rehoboth has issued a statement regarding the rise in anti-drag legislation taking place across the country, which come in the form of at lest 26 bills across 14 states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas.
CAMP says that the proposed bills would designate drag as "adult cabaret" performances, banning them from public spaces with the intention of protecting minors. They say that in Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee signed the bill in to law, and is expected to take effect on April 1. The law would charge performers with misdemeanors for first offenses, says the organization, and felonies for second offenses.
Legislation in Texas would have gender-affirming care for minors classified as a form of child abuse, while Oklahoma is attempting to ban gender-affirming care for anyone under 26 years old. After a drag show at West Texas A&M University was cancelled, students gathered to protest.
According to CAMP, these laws are part of a larger movement attacking LGBTQ+ rights, especially those of transgender and non-binary people, disproportionally targeting youth. Examples they note of other recent bills advancing in state legislatures include efforts to exclude transgender girls from youth sports, to prevent access for transgender people to public facilities like restrooms, and to prevent gender affirming healthcare for trans youth.
They say this movement works against CAMP Rehoboth's mission to "create a more positive" environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The organization argues that restrictions on drag shows limit the free expression of the queer community, enforcing insecurity and marginalizing an already at-risk population. They say drag is a joyful art, one that many of their community's most beloved performers have built their entire livelihoods on, and to label it as a threat is not only irresponsible, but dangerous. It adds on to the other concurrent anti-LGBTQ bills to create rising tension and violence.
CAMP also emphasizes the importance of safe spaces in the community, with the organization serving as a sanctuary for all. They say they are committed to providing life-affirming services and resources to Rehoboth Beach and related communities, which includes Youth Up, a program that connects LGBTQ+ youth and families to information and community-based resources as well as providing advocacy, support, and education. The organization says the program has become a safe space for youth seeking community among others discovering their authentic selves. Last summer, CAMP Rehoboth says the Youth Up program hosted youth and parents at a summertime drag brunch at a local restaurant.
CAMP says their connections with organizations like Point of Pride give opportunities for community members looking to receive gender affirming care or attire by registering for a binder at the community center. Also, the orginization says last fall, partnerships with local organizations like ACLU of DE, PFLAG, and PTK (Parents of Trans Kids) saw the opportunity to launch “Know Your Rights”, an ACLU resource guide for LGBTQ+ youth in schools. Many guides are available to view and pick up at the community center.
CAMP Rehoboth invites all to join their vision where all differences are respected and celebrated in our multifaceted community. They say any thriving town, State, or nation relies on this belief, and should work toward that vision by ensuring the free expression, safety, and security of all.
For anyone looking for a safe space, CAMP Rehoboth says that it is always open.