The Iowa ACLU is going after another group of cities it says are violating free speech with their ordinances regulating drag performances.
ACLU attorney Shefali Aurora says they’ve sent letters to Mount Pleasant, Harlan, Carroll, Webster City, and Polk City, notifying them of their ordinances that unconstitutionally restrict drag. Aurora says they want the cities to make a modification to the ordinance language. “So what we’re asking right now is for them to remove the term female and male impersonators from their definition of adult entertainment. Because it includes and specifically targets drag performances that could be protected by First Amendment speech… and it is over broad,” Aurora says.
Aurora says the cities say they are trying to regulate obscene speech with the drag ordinances. “There’s already laws that you know would prevent obscene speech from taking place in these establishments and their laws that regulate obscenity across the state already. And those would not be impacted,” she says. Aurora says they are sending out the letters now during Pride Month, as she says the restrictions target LGBTQ performers.
Aurora says they discovered the language they believe is unconstitutional during a review, and there were not any violations by the five cities. “We have been reviewing municipal codes and you know reaching out to cities in chunks. We have done letters in the past. And we’re continuing to do that advocacy,” Aurora says. Aurora says they sent out letters in the past to Eagle Grove, Knoxville, Newton. Dyersville, Pella, Waukee and Grinnell, and all the cities made changes after being contacted. She says the only action taken against a city for a violation was Eagle Grove, and they then changed their ordinance.