The West Virginia Senate passed two crucial bills last week, Senate Bill 590 and Senate Bill 1083, to safeguard minors from explicit performances and indecent exposures, drawing outrage from radical LGBTQ activists who claim the measures unfairly target their community.
The first bill, SB 590, sponsored by Sen. Tom Willis, criminalizes “adult cabaret” performances on public property or in view of minors, expressly including female impersonators, aka drag queens.
This includes acts by “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to the prurient interest.”
Violators will face penalties of up to a $25,000 fine or five years in prison.
During floor debate, Sen. Willis clarified that the bill’s intent will not include harmless plays or concerts. He defined a “go-go dancer” as someone “scantily dressed” performing “erotic” routines, emphasizing that only content exciting “lust or lewdness” would be prohibited.
Democrat Sen. Joey Garcia raised concerns about the language, questioning if family-friendly shows like Mrs. Doubtfire or Kinky Boots could be affected. Supporters countered that the bill’s focus on “prurient interest” ensures it targets only obscene material, not artistic expression.
The bill passed with overwhelming support, 31-2, with only two Democrats voting no.
The second bill, SB 1083, expands the definition of indecent exposure to include undressing in a locker room not matching one’s biological sex “in a manner likely to cause affront or alarm.”
It also requires sex offender registration for those convicted of exposing themselves to minors and imposes enhanced penalties for repeat offenders.
Originally a bill by Sen. Ryan Weld to update indecent exposure laws, it was amended to address transgender individuals using opposite-sex facilities.
Weld opposed the changes, calling them unconstitutional, but his amendment to remove them was rejected.
The bill passed 32-1.
Predictably, the state’s only LGBTQ organization, “Fairness West Virginia,” went crazy over the legislation.
Executive Director Andrew Schneider blasted the bills as “dangerous,” accusing Senate Republicans of “Trans Derangement Syndrome.”
In a statement, the organization ranted, “Instead of helping the people of McDowell County get clean drinking water, they’re planning to arrest drag queens. Instead of stopping our schools from closing, they want to lock up innocent transgender people.”
They falsely claimed the bills will label “trans Mountaineers and drag artists as dangerous criminals simply for existing,” ignoring the explicit focus on protecting children from exposure.
Both bills now head to the House of Delegates, where they must pass the Judiciary Committee before a full vote. If approved, they could land on the governor’s desk before the session ends.
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