BUTTE — Butte-Silver Bow County canceled the scheduled appearance of a speaker at the Butte library out of concern that the event violates the new state law prohibiting drag shows and "sexually oriented" presentations in public buildings.
The Butte public library had invited Adria Jawort to speak at the First Friday event on June 2, 2023.
"It’s the first Friday of every month. It’s an adult brown bag, bring your lunch and listen to something new. She was going to speak on the history of the Two-Spirit People. She is Northern Cheyenne and transgender," says Butte librarian Shari Curtis.
Butte Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher said after conferring with the County Attorney’s office, he contacted library officials and told them to cancel the event out of concern that it violates House Bill 359, which prohibits minors from attending sexually- oriented shows and drag-oriented events at libraries and public schools.
The law states:
AN ACT PROHIBITING MINORS FROM ATTENDING SEXUALLY ORIENTED SHOWS; PROHIBITING DRAG STORY HOUR IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDING; PROHIBITING MINORS FROM ATTENDING SEXUALLY ORIENTED OR OBSCENE PERFORMANCES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY; PROHIBITING SEXUALLY ORIENTED PERFORMANCES IN LIBRARIES OR SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE STATE FUNDING; PROHIBITING SEXUALLY ORIENTED PERFORMANCES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY WHERE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT
"Because we receive public funding, some that comes from the state and federal government, we can’t risk a lawsuit or the, you know, the state coming and saying we are not following state law with our public library," said Gallagher.
The chief executive’s decision to cancel the transgender speaker came on the same day that he issued a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month.
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