ACLU settles for $500k with a Tennessee city in fight over an anti-drag ordinance

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee city must pay $500,000 as part of a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups over an ordinance designed to ban drag performances from taking place on public property. Attorneys announced the agreement on Wednesday. Last year, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights called the Tennessee Equality Project filed a federal lawsuit after Murfreesboro leaders said they wouldn’t the organization’s event permit requests. At the time, the city alleged that the drag performances that took place during the group’s 2022 Pride event resulted in the “illegal sexualization of kids.” TEP has denied the shows were inappropriate.