BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — The City of Bartlesville is pursuing an adult entertainment ordinance, following a debate over a drag show at a recent Pride event.
In a 4-1 vote on Tuesday, the council directed the city attorney to begin drafting the language for the ordinance. A petition began circulating online that received 2,000 non-verified signatures asking the city council to take action following the Sept. 10 event at Unity Square Park that featured a drag show.
In part, the petition requested "to determine if this activity violated any state laws, city ordinances, or city contracts for use of public areas and if so, to take appropriate action.” If no laws or ordinances were broken the petition asks the council to study the issue and consider a new city ordinance to prohibit adult-oriented activity from happening in a public area.
Michelle Mullens lives in Bartlesville and says she supports drag shows and the performers but feels there is a place and a time for them.
"As far as being a mom, I definitely want appropriate stuff when we are out in public where the kids are going to see it," Mullens said. "I'm not against drag shows at all. The people that put it on are very talented, I just believe there is a proper place for it."
We reached out to Oklahomans For Equality following the council’s decision:
"I don't really think that the people who pushed this complaint forward really thought about the broadness of what they are asking," says Dorothy Ballard, interim executive director. "How exactly do you define adult entertainment? Where is the line? When do you stop allowing people to utilize the public spaces that were specifically made for those types of gatherings?"
We spoke with the city attorney Jess Kane, who says he has been given 120 days to draft the language and will also be seeking outside counsel with first amendment knowledge.
Ballard says the desire is not to go after the city, but they are there to make sure every person in Bartlesville is equally represented and has the ability to have events and host celebrations like everyone else.
Mullens says it’s not about the performance or the performers, but where it’s being held.
“I could understand if they had it more in the community center or something like that and advertised it as an adult event, but out in the public, maybe not the best idea,” she says.
The Bartlesville chapter for Oklahomans for Equality sent 2 News Oklahoma this statement:
"The Bartlesville Chapter of Oklahomans for Equality is disappointed by the lack of leadership exhibited by the Mayor and City Council members Roane, Dorsey, and Curd, who voted to waste precious taxpayers funds to hire outside counsel to draft legal options to discriminate against citizens of Bartlesville. We cannot overstate the magnitude of harm the Mayor and City Council have caused by pursuing these unconstitutional laws. To anyone attending the last City Council meeting, it is apparent that the Mayor and the Council members voting to discriminate have no idea what they are doing or an appreciation of the harm their decision will have on the rights of the citizens of Bartlesville and the finances of the City. They have stated loudly and clearly for the world to see that they desire Two Spirit LGBTQIA+ to be second class citizens in Bartlesville.
The constitutional rights of Americans in designated public forums, like Unity Square, is settled. Content based discrimination is one of the most sacred constitution rights we enjoy as Americans. We will fight any attempt by the City to limit or prevent the expression and use of our First Amendment rights.
This historical attempt to infringe on our First Amendment rights will cost the City dearly, not only in the massive time, but also in tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars and will ultimately fail in court.
We unequivocally ask the City to begin negotiations with the Bartlesville Chapter of OKEQ to work together to find a mutually beneficial solution that not only prevents the wasteful use of taxpayer funds, but also honors the constitutional rights of all citizens of Bartlesville."
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