ey fo nder Cooley: Dra i not a crime

West Hollywood

– During the public comments portion of the regular West Hollywood City Council on March 6, David Cooley, the founder of The Abbey Food & Bar, stood before the Council to make a statement in solidarity with drag performers.

Cooley was joined by 11 drag entertainers who perform at the Abbey WeHo and The Chapel. Some in the group held Tennessee flags. He later posted his remarks on the @abbeyweho Instagram page:

“Last week, Tennessee became the first state to criminali e drag shows.

“It is now possible for a drag performer to be charged with a felony and have their voting rights stripped, just for performing.

“The bill is also so broad, it also means a trans person walking down the street could be charged with a felony for impersonating a male or female.

“Tennessee lawmakers are not done, they also have bills targeting venues that feature drag performers. They want to reclassify them as strip clubs. It could soon be illegal to see a drag queen in a gay bar in Tennessee.

“Drag is not a crime.

“Tennessee isn’t alone. Just two months into 2023, conservative lawmakers have introduced over 340 anti-LGBT bills.

“We are here tonight to show solidarity for our friends in Tennessee and ask the City of West Hollywood to issue a