Bartlesville Equality Board postpones Pride, bans drag shows

A decision by the Bartlesville Equality Board to postpone this year's Pride event is raising questions. The board voted during a special meeting to ban public drag performances at the celebration.

Bartlesville Pride in Year's Past

For Tulsa drag queen Cheri Bomb Lekohl, last year’s Pride event in Bartlesville was a day of joy and acceptance.

“It definitely felt like a welcoming environment…everyone was super friendly,” she said.

But this year, she and other performers won't be invited back. 

Drag in Bartlesville has had its series of conflicts. At past events, there have been several protesters, and in response, the Bartlesville City Council passed a resolution in 2024 to ensure police presence for safety and the First Amendment rights of all those who attend and participate.

In 2022, a public drag performance controversy sparked calls to ban drag shows. These efforts failed but resulted in the Bartlesville City Council narrowly passing a one-year agreement to allow drag shows to continue indoors or on private property.

No Drag Performers Allowed

At the city's Pride event in 2023, drag performers were invited, but not to perform. In 2024, they did perform.

This year, the Bartlesville Equality Board voted to ban drag performances at the upcoming pride festival. Members worried about safety concerns and losing sponsorships.

Following the vote, five members of the Equality Board, including the president, resigned. Lekohl believes many caved to political pressure.

“You’re just bending the knee to that and you’re not fighting back, which is what all Pride is all about,” she said. 

Bartlesville Equality Board Responds

Pride's Future in Question

The Pride Festival has been postponed until 2026. Some local drag queens are organizing a protest for Sept. 20.

Another Bartlesville LGBTQ+ organization, the Bartlesville Accepting Community Coalition, is planning a Pride celebration for sometime in the fall, and it says drag performers will be welcome. To view its statement, click here.