Councilwoman Julie Thompson places statement on record about city efforts to "protect children" and all‑age drag shows

Councilwoman Julie Thompson read a prepared public statement on Jan. 13 to set the official record regarding Monroe’s past and ongoing actions to "protect children" in response to social‑media claims.

Thompson recounted a sequence of steps the city and prior councils took: a Sept. 2022 proclamation limiting certain park and facility events to 18‑plus audiences; Dec. 2022 meetings with Monroe Police Department seeking clarity about obscenity laws and enforcement limits related to all‑age drag shows; April 2023 updates to city parks and facilities policies to change private‑rental guidelines; and the Dec. 1, 2023 update to the North Carolina obscenity statute (cited in the statement as N.C. Gen. Stat. 14‑109.1) together with City Ordinance 8.6 concerning adult establishments. Thompson said such measures, along with local actions and meetings with Raleigh representatives, demonstrated the council’s efforts and requested that the statement be entered into the official minutes in perpetuity.

Thompson framed the statement as a public clarification prompted by social‑media posts that referenced council votes and her personal affiliations. She asked that the city clerk include the statement in the minutes. The council did not take separate action on the substance of the statement during the meeting; it was received and entered for the public record as requested.

The statement included specific historical references (dates of proclamations, policy changes, and legislative outreach) that Thompson said reflect prior council votes and staff actions.