DRAG BILL LAWSUIT ALERT: I'm about to sue Tennessee, and you can too!

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Friday February 24, 2023 · 3:48 PM PST

2023/02/24 · 15:48

A play so good, it's illegal in Tennessee!

My friend Hannah Miyamoto is a retired attorney, and an avid writer of literature, including plays. In 2004, she wrote Twelve Nights with Viola & Olivia when she was earning her Master’s degree in Women’s Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato, which ultimately led to her thesis, “Exploring Proto-Lesbian Existence in Early Modern Britain.” Between 2005 and 2017, Twelve Nights received three staged readings and was given a workshop performance.

Watch the 2017 Workshop performance of Twelve Nights with Viola & Olivia at https://youtu.be/6dLqzsAPI94. Remember to leave a LIKE and a comment after you view it!

In Twelfth Night, or, What You Will, by William Shakespeare, a young, beautiful, and rich countess with no parents or siblings named “Olivia”, falls in love with a boy who is so genteel and feminine, that “he” is actually a girl, named “Viola.” At least since Samuel Johnson (often known as “Doctor Johnson”) asked in the 18th century, people have asked, “Why does Olivia reject every man until she falls in love with Viola?” Dr. Johnson had his answer; hers is simpler: Olivia is Gay!

The script for Twelve Nights calls for both male and female characters to be played by women actors, especially Sebastiano, Viola’s identical twin-brother, and Adriano, Olivia’s intersexed male messenger. In the 2017 workshop production, five actors were women, who collectively played 11 roles, six of whom were men.

Senate Bill 3, just sent by the state legislature to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) threatens performances by “male or female impersonators” with up to 10 years in prison, if their performances “appeal” to a “prurient interest.”

Does Twelve Nights appeal to a “prurient interest,” based on the standards of localities in Tennessee? Given how much the play is about sexuality, no one knows, and that’s the problem with this new Tennessee law. Senate Bill 3 is not really intended to put performers in prison: It’s intended to coerce managers of theaters and other public forums into refusing to allow cross-dressing performers. SB3 is a classic “chilling effect” law, compelling people to not speak by threatening criminal prosecution.

This is why, as soon as Gov. Lee signs Senate Bill 3, Hannah will go to the federal court in southern California, her home, to sue Tennessee officials for preventing her from achieving her desire to present Twelve Nights with Viola & Olivia in Nashville and Memphis. Hannah will ask the federal court in California to declare the amendments to Tennessee law that Senate Bill 3 will work invalid and void; hopefully, upon stipulated facts and without a trial.

Let’s hope this will persuade legislators and governors in all the states to realize that “anti-drag” laws like Senate Bill 3 open them up to lawsuits by almost everyone, everywhere! — Not just the ACLU, not just a few people in their own state, but in every state, by almost everyone. If you can, please consider bringing your own lawsuit against Senate Bill 3. Finally, please follow my Daily Kos account, to keep up to date on the exciting progress of this important lawsuit: Miyamoto v. Lee (S.D. Cal 2023).

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DRAG BILL LAWSUIT ALERT: I'm about to sue Tennessee, and you can too!

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