The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to review a lower court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act in the case Friends of George’s v. Mulroy on Monday.
The Adult Entertainment Act, which was signed into law in 2023 by Governor Bill Lee, prohibits “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors,” from being performed in public or areas accessible to children.
“Adult cabaret entertainment” is defined by the law as performances that feature “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainers.”
Another big win for Tennessee! Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Friends of George’s v. Mulroy.
“Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” said AG… pic.twitter.com/Tqiyi3aXwz
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) February 24, 2025
A first offense for violating Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act is classified as a Class A misdemeanor while a second or subsequent offense is a Class E felony.
The law was challenged in court by the Memphis-based LGBTQ theater company Friends of George’s.
While the law was briefly barred from being enforced in Shelby County, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s ruling and allowed the law to take effect in July.
In September, the Court of Appeals rejected the plaintiff’s petition for rehearing, allowing the law to continue taking effect.
Now, on Monday, the Supreme Court also formally denied the plaintiff’s writ of certiorari to review the Court of Appeals’ July ruling allowing the Tennessee law to take effect.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to reject a review of the case, calling it “another big win for Tennessee.”
“Free speech is a sacred American value, but the First Amendment does not require Tennessee to allow sexually explicit performances in front of children,” Skrmetti said in a post published to X.
“We will continue to defend [Tennessee’s] law and children,” Skrmetti added.
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), who sponsored the Adult Entertainment Act in the 113th General Assembly, also applauded the Supreme Court for denying the plaintiff’s writ of certiorari.
“I’m proud that the United States Supreme Court has upheld yet another Tennessee law protecting our children. SB 3 ensures that Tennessee children are not exposed to sexually explicit entertainment,” Johnson said in an X post.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Drag Queens” by ‘Bret Kavanaugh’.
