White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is confused why any governor would ban public drag shows or outlaw gender mutilation surgery for children.
At Friday’s press conference, she scolded Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for signing a bill that outlaws these practices.
KJP: "Right now you have a governor from Tennessee that has decided to go after drag shows."
"What sense does that make to go after drag shows? How's that going to help people’s lives?” pic.twitter.com/7Bzb0nZnSL
— Becker News (@NewsBecker) March 4, 2023
“Tennessee’s governor signed two anti-LGBTQ bills on Thursday, one that bans drag performances from taking place on public property, another bans most gender affirming care to transgender youth. What does the White House make of these laws? And is there anything you can do or planning to do about these laws,” a reporter asked.
“So I’ll say this, the American people are focused on so many issues,” she replied. “We just talked about economy. We just talked about inflation. We’re talking about safer — safer communities and schools, and good health care, all the things that you all ask me every day. And we all know that’s what the American people care about.”
“That’s what — even when they went to vote in November, those were the issues that mattered the most to them,” she went on. “But instead of doing anything to address those real issues that are impacting American people, right now you have a governor from Tennessee has decided to go after drag shows. What sense does that make to go after drag shows? How does that going to help people’s lives?”
On Thursday, the state of Tennessee passed a law prohibiting drag shows on public property and near schools, making it the first of its kind in the country. The state also passed a bill that forbids gender transition surgeries for minors.
The majority of Americans do not support transgender surgeries or anti-puberty blockers for minors, according to a May 2022 poll from the American Principles Project Foundation.
The survey asked respondents whether they would support a ban on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and physical sex-change surgeries for children under 18.
The poll showed 56% of respondents said they would support a ban, while 34% said they would not. A little over a third of those respondents identified as Democrats, while 37% identified as Republicans, and just under a quarter identified themselves as Independents.
The American people get why protecting their children from destructive practices is important to them. Apparently, Karine Jean-Pierre does not.
Follow Kyle Becker on Twitter @kylenabecker.