Tool’s Maynard James Keenan wears wig and fake breasts to protest Florida’s anti-drag laws
The frontman of rock band Tool, Maynard James Keenan, has protested against Florida’s new anti-drag ban by dressing up in drag during a recent performance in the Sunshine state.
The band played at the Welcome to Rockville festival, in Daytona, on Sunday (21 May), where Keenan donned a blonde wig, red lipstick and prosthetic breasts.
Tool played Daytona last night and Maynard James Keenan showed up in drag to give DeSantis and Florida’s new Anti-Drag Law the
by Amy Harris @consequence pic.twitter.com/HkL5TKf7z7
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) May 22, 2023
Just days before the performance, Florida governor Ron DeSantis enacted five anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including one that banned drag shows.
The others expanded the state’s Don’t Say Gay law, and targeted trans health care, the use of public toilets by trans people and trans youth in sport.
HB1438 bans drag performances where children are present and hard-line Republican DeSantis has said it’s to protect children from “indoctrinating and confusing concepts like gender identity”.
We couldn’t think of a better way to close out our biggest day in Rockville history with @Tool . Until next year Rockvillians
: @samshapiromedia pic.twitter.com/myiLKud2gS
— WelcomeToRockville (@RockvilleFest) May 22, 2023
Welcome to Rockville was an all-ages event, meaning Keenan’s performance was technically illegal.
It is not clear if any action has been taken against the festival, which is liable to be fined under the law that states the admission of a child to an “adult live performance… constitutes an immediate, serious danger”.
The Tool frontman isn’t a stranger to performing in a costume. At last year’s Bonnaroo festival, in Tennessee, he wore a suit, slicked-back black wig and bright red lipstick while performing with his other band, Puscifer.
Keenan has not commented about the outfit or performance, only posting AI-altered photos of himself on Twitter.
This AI shite is pretty dang cool. Sometimes it sees right into your soul. #forkliftcertified #jetsons pic.twitter.com/ewFSul3OGb
— Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) May 23, 2023
Lizzo similarly defied a state drag ban, to some extent, last month. During her concert in Tennessee on 21 April, the singer brought out a line-up of drag queens, including stars of Drag Race.
Tennessee became the first state to pass a drag ban bill and it was set to come into effect on 1 April. However, a federal judge ruled it too broad to be enacted – in its current form even some Shakespeare plays could be banned – and temporarily blocked it.