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    • Majority of New Bartlesville City Council opposes public drag shows
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    Majority of New Bartlesville City Council opposes public drag shows

    Pabio Posted on

    The Bartlesville City Council will have a new look next month after Tuesday’s elections, as three incumbent councilors were ousted by their challengers, signaling a stronger push to restrict public drag performances.

    The city faces a permanent public debate about these performances at local Pride events. The council’s new makeup includes candidates who campaigned on “family values” and opposition to public drag shows.

    Tim Sherrick defeated incumbent Ward 1 councilor and current Mayor Dale Copeland by a narrow margin of just over 100 votes, securing the seat with nearly 52% of the vote. In his campaign, Sherrick emphasized family values ​​and the message “Make B’ville great again.”

    In Ward 2, challenger Larry East was victorious over incumbent Loren Roszel, garnering nearly 62 percent of the vote. East ran on a platform opposing public drag performances at Bartlesville’s Pride events, which he considers adult entertainment unsuitable for public spaces. After his victory, East publicly stated that his opposition to public drag shows resonated with Ward 2 voters.

    Ward 4 saw another change, as challenger Aaron Kirkpatrick ousted incumbent Quinn Schipper with more than 60 percent of the vote. Kirkpatrick, who campaigned on reducing homelessness and supporting firefighters, also raised concerns about drag shows in public places. However, unlike his fellow incoming councilors, Kirkpatrick publicly framed his opposition as an issue of children’s health.

    In the meantime, Trevor Dorsey, Ward 5 incumbent retained his seat with nearly 55% of the vote, defeating challengers Matthew Snodgrass and Karen Monroe. Dorsey has previously expressed his desire to restrict public drag performances, having led previous efforts to monitor them for obscene violations. During the 2024 Price Festival, police were stationed to observe drag events, but said they did not issue any tickets for violations.

    The only councilor who ran unopposed was Ward 3 Vice Mayor Jim Curd, who was part of the previous council’s cautious approach to regulating public drag shows. Curd and his colleagues were reluctant to impose a total ban, citing possible costly legal battles and court rulings that drag shows were protected by the First Amendment. The previous council, led by Copeland, opted for police control and negotiations rather than implementing outright restrictions to avoid the litigation costs that similar bans have generated in other areas.

    The new council will be sworn in at the first meeting in December, where a new mayor and deputy mayor will also be chosen.

    The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise provides this content free of charge as part of our commitment to inform and empower Washington County voters. Please consider supporting local journalism through a subscription.

    Outspoken activist claims influence

    Out-of-town Christian conservative activist Rich Penkoski, known for preaching against LGBTQIA+ rights at Bartlesville Pride events and expressing strong objections to public drag performances at Bartlesville City Council meetings , attributed his plea to the defeat of incumbent councilors in Tuesday’s elections.

    “Looks like Roszel and Copeland lost; I’m glad I hammered them online and in the Bartlesville groups,” Penkoski said. “I can’t side with the LGBT and expect to win.”

    Penkoski’s activism has not been without controversy. In a previous incident, he was issued a five-year protection order after a same-sex couple in Bartlesville reported feeling harassed by him because of his sexual orientation. The Oklahoma Supreme Court later overturned the order.

    Last year, Penkoski offered legal assistance to the city to help craft a ban on public drag shows that he said would avoid any financial burden on Bartlesville taxpayers. He said he had no formal collaboration with Dorsey.

    “Trevor Dorsey will be mayor, mark my words,” Penkoski said, referring to Dorsey as “the only qualified candidate for the job.” Dorsey’s online social media accounts have been tagged during livestreams of street preacher protests and Dorsey has liked Penkoski’s Facebook posts since the activist launched his protests in Bartlesville in 2022.

    Penkoski further emphasized his commitment to his cause, saying, “I will continue to speak and share about LGBT, about Bartlesville, and I will not give up until it is banned.” »

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