COLUMBUS, Ohio — Voters in the Logan County town of Bellefontaine will not be voting on whether to ban drag shows in public after all. In a unanimous decision, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled a proposed ordinance banning public drag shows within city limits will not be on the November ballot.
Ben Lewis, who goes by Blonde Vanity and Ishmael Cody, who goes by Reese S. Pieces when in drag, call the State Supreme Court's ruling a temporary win.
"Even if we don't hear anything for a while, we still have to continue to be visible to be present and continue to display this artform and show that it's not a crime," Pieces said.
"And to take it a step further, I don't think that all drag is inherently adult entertainment only," Vanity said. "There's stand-up comedy specials on Netflix that are for all ages just as there are for adult-only. It's just the way that you interpret the artform."
The proposed ordinance would have prohibited all "adult cabaret" performances, or drag shows, from being performed on public property or in any location where a minor could see them. Nearly 800 people signed a petition to put the measure on the November ballot.
In its ruling Sunday, the Supreme Court wrote the Secretary of State and Logan County board of elections abused their discretion and disregarded the law in overruling relators' protest. The relators mentioned are a group who challenged the petitions because language on them had been changed after signatures were gathered.
The court agreed, and also said Secretary of State Frank LaRose misconstrued the group's protest in making a tie-breaking vote of the county board of elections asserting the new petition language explains what the ordinance would do should it pass.
While tentatively celebrating a court victory, Blonde Vanity and Reese S. Pieces say the overriding issues for them are the right to artistic expression and supporting the LGBTQI+ community.
"I'm mainly concerned, not just for us as entertainers, but the implications that it could have for the trans community," Pieces said. "Trying to limit the ability for gay people to be public and proud, I think that's very unhealthy."
The Logan County Board of Elections had no comment Tuesday. The Secretary of State's Office declined an on camera interview, but a spokesperson told 10TV News the office will follow the court order as required by law.