NASHVILLE, TN – The infamous ‘Drag Ban Bill’ HB0884, proposed by Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County) who has gone on record to say he has never seen a drag performance, passed the House Judiciary Committee last week, and is headed for a vote in the House today despite public outcry from civil right advocacy groups such as the Tennessee Equality Project. Jay Kill, founder and owner of Frankie J’s bar located in north Nashville, said as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a friend of the drag community for the entirety of his adult life, the news of the ‘Drag Ban Bill’ being scheduled again for a House vote has him not only feeling angry, but also hurt and threatened.
“We’re all scared, we’re all terrified,” Kill said. “It’s so vaguely written, what’s going to happen? You know? There are so many unanswered questions. The way it’s currently understood, the way I understand it, I would have to shut down if this passes.”
Kill said that much of this fear comes from the fact that Frankie J’s is “within spitting distance” of several churches and a park where they sponsor volleyball games, breaking the 1,000 ft rule required by the ‘Drag Ban Bill’ for “adult-oriented establishments” which according to a WBIR article, would include noncommittal facilities that offer “adult cabaret entertainment,” such as Frankie J’s. Kill said he is also worried his trans employees may be classified under law as “adult entertainers” because of facial hair or makeup they wear that expresses the gender they identify as rather than what was assigned to them at birth.
“I can’t find any reasoning that’s logical to me, that’s justifiable,” Kill said. “There is no common sense into this at all except for personal beliefs, and their personal beliefs should not dictate what type of business and environment I create for customers or for a community.”
Kill said March 1st marked the second anniversary of when he opened Frankie J’s out of a desire to provide an additional safe and inclusive space in his neighborhood and the city of Nashville. He said that, at that time, gay bars worldwide were closing and felt the need to provide a quiet and easy-going establishment inside a 1910 home where people from all walks of life were welcome.
Kill said out of interest in drumming up business, Frankie J’s began hosting drag events six months after opening and now regularly hosts drag shows and brunches, as well as special events featuring drag performances hosted by the establishment House Mothers, Trinity Monroe and China. Kill said he and his staff often come up with different themed events to throw throughout the year as well, such as an Easter bonnet that is scheduled for next month, however now that the ‘Drag Ban Bill’ is on the floor, he is no longer sure as to how far in advance he should schedule events at all.
“Do I book things for this fall? Do I create fun Halloween events? Do I create a Thanksgiving Day meal like we’ve done the last two years for the community where we prepare Thanksgiving meals for anybody that can’t afford it or doesn’t have family to come here?” Kill said.
As the bill continues to be discussed, Kill said he hopes that state legislators will truly listen to the testimonies of those who are speaking out against the bill and whose lives will be most impacted. Kill said that he greatly encourages Tennesseans who want to show their allyship to call and tell their state representatives that they do not support this legislation.
