Entry 51: What I Wrote in Much Ado About Nothing

I know my words won’t impact a DAMNED person; but I sent this to 30 legislators last night:

My name is PARKROW FALLOUT, I was born in A County, Iowa, was raised in A Different County Iowa, received my Bachelor’s Degree in Yet Another County, Iowa and have spent almost my entire life in this state short the few years I was in NE earning my law degree.
I went to law school intentionally to become a Criminal Prosecutor serving the great people of Iowa and to assist victims of crimes and make sure that those who perpetrated crimes were held responsible.  This very e-mail address I am using today was created for the purpose of communicating with Prosecutor’s Offices as I applied and pursued a job in upholding justice in Iowa.

This is also the e-mail address I use for my theater involvement, which has been wonderful and plentiful.  I have performed in A Different County, Most Recent County, and have loved my time in Current County working with both the CFCT and the WCP.  So believe me when I tell you that your HSB 158 uses language far too broad unless the legislative goal is to actively prevent theater in Iowa.  Community Theaters across this state are sorely lacking in male performers and in order to put on shows, often must rely on women playing male characters.  Further, it has been the greatest joy of my life to perform Shakespeare every year. Last year, we could not find enough men to perform Julius Caesar and so had to rely on a friend of mine for Marc Antony.  SHE played the role brilliantly and I dare say few have heard the famous “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech with more passion.  

So, I implore you as someone versed in the law but with a heart for theater- to pass HSB 158 is a direct assault on the First Amendment.  You are not protecting children from “sexualized performances” you are prohibiting performances of classic, respected, beloved works across the board.  I realize that there are countries in which Shakespeare has been banned; where singing and dancing are illegal - how dare anyone in a country claiming freedom of any kind follow suit.

If we are going to make it a FELONY to perform outside of our assigned at birth genders, how far does presentation go?  If a person with a large chest, a high voice, and long hair has M on their birth certificate- are you then requiring that their performance presentation conform to drag presentation?  If a person with a beard and a low voice with a buzz cut has F on their birth certificate are you then requiring that their performance presentation conform to drag presentation?  More offensively: if a part in a performance reads as SOLDIER will it be a felony to cast a woman presenting as a woman in the role?  Is it a felony for her to play the role if the only soldier outfit the theater owns is MALE?  When writing a criminal statute one must make certain that it narrowly limits behavior and not broadly curtails a right.  This bill is not an example of such intelligent law writing; nor such respect for the rights of the American Citizen.  This bill must be defeated in the name of Iowan’s Rights, both Constitutional and Natural.  

When Madea, Monty Python, and Robin Williams are turned into felonies- you must stop and ask what has happened to reason in this country.

PARKROW FALLOUT