Cross-dressing is allowed in Oglesby now. City Attorney Patrick Barry says the ban was unconstitutional. Showing too much of what clothing is supposed to conceal is still prohibited.
The question of what changes to make came up after Mayor Dominic Rivara said a performance earlier this year violated the ordinance and he vowed to enforce it. City resident Kathy Frederick says she saw the show and wasn’t offended.
Commissioner Jason Curran thinks the city’s entire indecency ordinance needs to be rewritten. He thinks simply prohibiting nudity should be enough. He doesn’t think it’s right to ban other types of entertainment that don’t involve nudity. For example, impersonating someone of the other sex is prohibited.
Frederick says she’s seen people dressed more skimpily just going down the street than at the show that raised Mayor Rivara’s eyebrows. Rivara says there’s still such a thing as not wearing enough.
For a comprehensive update, the city attorney is recommending the council consider an ordinance on the books in Belleville, Illinois. He told the commissioners Monday, he’ll email it to them.