Bartlesville residents decry drag show at City Council meeting
Local resident Shannon King presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures Monday night to the Bartlesville City Council asking the city to prohibit adult-oriented entertainment in a public space.
The petition was specifically targeted at a public drag show performed at Unity Square last month during Oklahomans for Equality Bartlesville's Pride event. Around 200 people gathered at City Hall for the public forum.
"I do not deny anyone the right to live the way they choose, but we should be able to agree that exposing children to sexually charged entertainment, normally performed in a bar or strip club, does not belong in the public space," King told the council.
Morgan Lawrence-Hayes, executive board president for Oklahomans for Equality Bartlesville, agreed that adult entertainment has no place in a public park but denied that such an event took place during the Pride event.
She noted numerous videos and photos taken during the event as proof that the petition's version of the drag show is misconstrued.
"Plainly stated, there was no nudity, no obscenity, and no sexually suggestive performances," said Lawernce-Hayes.
Rod McIlvaine, senior pastor of Grace Community Church, focused on the theology of the LGBTQIA+ community rather than just the event, stating that gender is biologically and cellular-based instead of socially or culturally based.
"A drag queen show on public grounds does not advance public virtue, nor does it enhance the common good. Shows like this have the effect of normalizing adult sexual play before children," he said.
Most who spoke supported the petition using Biblical scripture as their main argument of why such a performance should be banned in Bartlesville.
Mayor Dale Copeland accepted the petition but clarified, "This council is not allowed to discuss or act on anything that is not in the agenda printed at least two business days prior to a meeting. This was not on the agenda; therefore, it will not be discussed or enacted upon at this time."
Copeland thanked everyone for their attendance, adding, "The subject will continue to be studied and discussed to see if there are any updates or improvements that need to occur, and I would expect that perhaps to be discussed at a later date."
After the meeting, citizens lingered in the halls and outside to discuss their thoughts on the evening.
Anne Franklin, of Bartlesville, said the speakers "mostly focused on Christian ideas and less on actual laws."
"I'm grateful the city council listened to different perspectives and I look forward to all Bartians being able to use public spaces," said Rev. Kelley Becker, senior minister of Disciples Christian Church, who gave the invocation at the beginning of the city council meeting.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville residents decry drag show at City Council meeting
