LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky League of Cities officially opposes Senate Bill 115, which would restrict drag performances, according to Mayor Craig Greenberg.
The bill is part of a slew of new anti-LGBTQIA legislation in Frankfort, making its way through the legislative process.
Louisville Tourism President and CEO Cleo Battle said "if there is legislation that impacts [tourism], it impacts my job."
Battle said these new bills restricting drag performances, gender-affirming care and queer and trans children in schools are a cause for concern in Louisville's tourism market.
"We've seen it in the past," he said. Battle noted contentious bathroom bills in the past pushed multiple groups to cancel events in Louisville.
Congressman Morgan McGarvey said the impact is clear.
"We cannot be putting forward hateful legislation in the Kentucky General Assembly and expect it not to reverberate in the business community, in the tourism community, even just with people at home," he said.
McGarvey said more good needs to be done, as Greenberg moves Kentucky's League of Cities to officially oppose the state Senate's drag queen bill.
"The cities of Kentucky are saying let's move forward, let's not go backward," he said.
Behind the bills are Kentuckians targeted for their identity.
Piranha Del Rey spoke with WHAS11 News, saying she's victimized by new legislation across multiple identities - as a person who is trans, pansexual and a drag queen here in Louisville.
"I often wonder how people can have so much hate in their hearts," Del Rey said.
She explained Senate Bill 115 would take away her ability to express herself in a safe environment and would hurt the bars and restaurants that not only bring people to the city but serve those who live in the metro.
"It would be ruining Louisville nightlife, absolutely demolishing Louisville nightlife," Del Rey said.
The support and opposition to these bills are bipartisan.
"Ultimately, very few, if any of these bills will actually become law," two-term Republican Secretary of State Trey Grayson told WHAS11 News.
The former chair of the Republican Secretaries of State Association said he's pushing for a stronger focus on the economy, like the recent income tax cut.
"As a Republican," Grayson said. "I sometimes get frustrated by the members of my party who are pushing bills like some of the ones we've seen in the last few days that will impact our LGBTQ Kentuckians, but they'll impact all Kentuckians."
The New York Times recently named Louisville one of the top 52 places to go in 2023, specifically citing a rising LGBT community and the drag shows.
The people helping to keep Louisville on the map told WHAS11 this slew of legislation will hurt them.
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