COVINGTON, Ky. — Covington officials are speaking out against a bill requiring all "adult-oriented" businesses to be more than 1,000 feet away from any residence, park, school, church, library or recreational facility.
According to Senate Bill 115, any establishment that hosts drag performances would be considered an "adult-oriented" business. Drag performances are defined in the bill as performances where someone sings, lip-syncs, dances or reads before an audience "while exhibiting a gender expression that is inconsistent with the biological sex formally recognized on the performer's original birth certificate."
Covington hosts and sponsors NKY Pride every year, while places like Braxton Brewing Co., Covington Yard and Hotel Covington host drag shows or similar events. If SB 115 became law, any already-established adult-oriented businesses would be required to "conform to the requirements" by July 2025.
"That is so broad that it eliminates any possible location, it is an out-and-out ban. They think they're being cute by saying they're doing this in a limited geographic area," Covington Mayor Joe Meyer said.
The bill states that adult-oriented businesses are associated with "adverse secondary effects" like human trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking and "negative impacts on surrounding properties and their value."
Bonnie Meyer, who runs the NKY Pride Center, said drag shows are about love.
"If you've been to a drag show, you'd know drag shows are about love and acceptance and community and representation and education," Meyer said. "There's a lot of wonderful celebration that's a part of a drag show."
Bill co-sponsor state Sen. Lindsey Tichenor told WCPO's Lexington affiliate that part of her concern stemmed from hearing about a "family-friendly" drag performance at an Owensboro park.
"They're adult-oriented performances, there's no reason children need to be exposed to that," Tichenor told LEX18.
Meyer, though, attributes the city's turnaround to its diversity — and that's why the city decided to speak out against the bill.
"Our founding fathers wore wigs and stockings," Meyer said. "Would they be subject to this drag law?"
One of the bill's sponsors is state Sen. Gex Williams, who represents parts of Boone and Kenton counties, as well as Franklin, Gallatin, Carroll and Owen counties. WCPO has reached out to Williams for comment but has not heard back.
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