♪ ♪ >> this is nightline. >> the new frontline in america's culture war. what critics call the nation's first drag ban. >> the points to send a message that they don't like us and they don't want is here. >> juju: we talked to the law or behind the wheel. >> we craft legislation to see simply if you're going to do something that is overtly sexually explicit, you can't do that in front of kids. >> juju: and the performers who say they will persevere. plus, in the hot seat. long-term starbucks ceo howard schultz ruled by lawmakers. >> starbucks has which the most aggressive and illegal unionbusting campaign.

>> juju: accused in standing in the way of labor organizers. >> starbucks unequivocally has not broken the law. >> what do we want? >> juju: as workers across the country. a better deal. >> would you prefer that the worker who is making your vote latte is able to afford their rent and gas versus having a c.o.s pockets? >> juju: and jeremy renner, the diane's sawyer -- dinosaur exclusive. opening up for the first time since he was crushed. >> do you remember the pain? >> all of it. i was awake through every moment. >> juju: risking his own life to save his nephew. >> i would do it again. >> announcer: "nightline" will be right back. age is just a number, and mine's unlisted. try boost® high protein with 20 grams of protein for muscle health versus 16 grams in ensure® high protein. boost® high protein. now available in cinnabon® bakery-inspired flavor. learn more at boost.com/tv my most important kitchen tool?

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♪ ♪ >> juju: thanks for joining us. bbn tonight in tennessee. a state that is now ground zero and the cultural controversy over drag shows. the performers there say the new legislation target them. and while it is the country's first law of its kind, it may not be the last. here is abc's alex perez. >> did somebody order a giant woman? [cheers and applause] because here i am. >> alex: on a recent sunday afternoon, he performed as drag

queen at the atomic crows in downtown memphis. >> i'm your little host. [cheers and applause] >> alex: at this show -- >> there are a lot of us out here. >> alex: -- crowd feels like he is in the state's cross hairs. >> we are not going anywhere. [cheers and applause] >> alex: what critics call the nation's first drag ban that goes into effect, tennessee governor bill lee signed it into law. >> drag is under attack in the state of tennessee. [audience reacts] my sentiments exactly. >> alex: the bill has become the latest flash point in the culture wars. 14 states have introduced so-called anti-drag legislation including arizona, kentucky, and oklahoma. >> drag queens have been around since before there were laws to be written and so it is impossible to legislate us out of existence. >> alex: rupaul recently weighing in on instagram.

>> drag queens are the marines of the queer movement. don't get it twisted and don't be distracted. >> alex: it is the second law affecting the lgbtq community. also passing a law banning gender-affirming care for minors. at least 21 states are considering similar bills. >> our children are not guinea pigs for seismic experimentation and we cannot allow people to make money off relating them. >> alex: according to the use end a -- aclu, they are more potentially impacting the lgbtq population and nationwide. tennessee, the president law plan those bands any sexually explicit performance by cabaret performers in front of children. he points out it is unclear what that actually means. >> the language applies to adult cabaret performers who appeal to

a prurient interest in tennessee, meaning a morbid or shameful obsession with sex. the bill makes very little distinction as to what drag or male or female impersonator is. >> alex: ddar jett johnson sponsored a bill. >> explain what is this bill and what you believe there is a need for it. >> over the last year to 18 months, there have been a number of videos that have surfaced in various places that portray what i don't think any -- what i think any visible person with say is sexually expensive entertainment in front of kids. they wanted to know, how in the world can you do something that is so sexually explicit in front of kids? >> alex: in your view, can drag performances still occur look for instance, in parks or should they not be happening? >> drag shows can exist in public parks. they can take place anywhere else. they just can't cross that line.

>> alex: will drag queens perhaps a trans person, would they be allowed to freely walk as who they are or should they be afraid? >> no, they should not be afraid. it has nothing to do with drag. it has to do with sexually exquisite entertainment in front of kids. >> i think all adults are able to discern what is or is not appropriate to do in front of a minor. when it is a family friendly or all ages audience with children present, the last thing in the world that we want to do is be a starting experience for a kid. >> alex: lgbtq culture has rapidly become integrated into mainstream culture. like the anthem about queer acceptance, "born this way" by pop icon ladybelu the legalization of same-sex marriage, lgbtq characters in

popular shows. >> we know the world is definitely changing. >> alex: a permit is an lgbtq advocate. >> we are more queer out of people than ever especially in media from television and entertainment. which is a great thing with so much visibility comes a great big backlash. >> alex: recently that backlash has focused intensely on drag queen story hours. >> we are there to teach children all about inclusivity, diversity, and ultimately just having the free will of the human being to create those to be creative and express yourself however you see fit. >> is drag dangerous because there are people who are engaging in a gender expression that you think is bad? it bad to be is it bad to be queer? because they are not going to make their children gay. they are not going to turn their

children trans. >> alex: a handful of lgbtq parents brought their kids to all ages branch and tennessee. >> the only thing that bothered by children was how loud it was. that is it. >> we live two hours away and there are not any we that we can bring the kids to. >> alex: the senator points to videos to behavir that he has is not appropriate for children. >> we crafted legislation to see simply if you're going to do something that is overtly sexually explicit, it has to be age restricted. you can't do that in front of gets. i saw video of a performer being careful how i say this because it is tough to talk about these things where in entertainer was dancing across the stage with prosthetic bear breasts dancing around and waiting. others were simulating sex acts in front of kids. >> alex: in the video, you can see what appears to be a minor in speaking to another drag queen. this video from december -- a

center outside of nashville took place at a park event last year. >> this should not take place in a public park or even in a private venue where a parent has a visible expectation that they can take their child and not have their child exposed to something so graphic. chance of just chased -- just days before the law takes effect, lgbtq leaders are bracing for what could come next. as advocates hope it won't have a legal impact on the community. >> if they attempt to tell me that i can no longer welcome children into our all ages performance in this safe space, i will not comply! [cheers and applause] >> alex: and slate kyle promises no matter what, their shows mode change. is this -- >> is this 2023 in america because that blows my mind. it does not seem right and the point is just to send a message that they don't like us and they dont want is here and that is

deeply painful >> juju: our thanks to alex. up next, the heated moments on capitol hill as the former starbucks ceo is accused of unionbusting. and starbucks workers prevail? ♪ ♪ moderate to severe eczema still disrupts my skin. despite treatment it disrupts my skin with itch. it disrupts my skin with rash. but now, i can disrupt eczema with rinvoq. rinvoq is not a steroid, topical, or injection. it's one pill, once a day. many taking rinvoq saw clear or almost-clear skin while some saw up to 100% clear skin. and, they felt dramatic and fast itch relief some as early as 2 days. that's rinvoq relief. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal, cancers including lymphoma and skin cancer, death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least one heart disease

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♪ ♪ >> juju: it has been said there is strength in numbers and that is exactly what workers in hundreds of starbucks say they need to stand up for their rights. but it is the company going too far to stand in their way? here is abc's senior

congressional correspondent rachel scott. >> maggie carter! >> rachel: starbucks bruster maggie carter has been at the forefront of her story's fight to unionize. >> what i'm looking forward to is seeing a bill in your be held accountable for his actions. >> rachel: she is taking her message to capitol hill. >> i am working to leave for this company and i'm certainly not alone in feeling nothing but left behind during a time where everything we knew about the world was uncertain. >> rachel: maggie and thousands of others starbucks employees, partners say unionizing is their best shot at representation against the billion-dollar company. >> it is well past time for the company to bargain in good faith. help us hold them accountable. >> over the past 18 months, starbucks has waged the most aggressive and illegal unionbusting campaign in the

modern history of our country. >> rachel: senators grilling interim ceo howard schultz over allegations that he and the company repeatedly violated labor laws. >> mr. schultz, i am seriously concerned by reports that starbucks is coercing and in retaliation against workers for exercising their rights to organize for example by unjustly firing workers who were involved in union organizing, conducting surveillance of unit organizers and reducing their work hours. >> no involvement in any specific issues in regards through the union in the district court store. we have never ever taking any benefit away and we would never of anyone who was interested in joining a union. >> what do we want? >> rachel: starbucks is one of several giant corporations who have seen the workers pursue new formation in the past two years. from home depot to amazon to disney. abc's parent company. american workers are seeking out

unions to improve pay benefits and working conditions. and tactical support for labor unions has increased since the pandemic. about 71% of americans in support. >> there has been a real shift in worker attitudes particularly young workers. this generation of younger generation has different attitudes about unions, about worker rights, about their expectations. any company is going to have to adapted to that. >> rachel: but only 10% of the american workforce is unionized. the lowest on record. as the labor movement has improved across the country, starbucks store in buffalo new york became the first to unionize in 2021. since then, over 250 stores have voted to unionize. although that is a small fraction of almost 9,000 company-owned stores nationwide. >> if you go back to that '50s and '60s, part of the reason the unions were able to be successful was because they

could organize these large plants, steel plants, thousands or tens of thousands of workers all at once. a service sector business like starbucks here, a lot of them have small individual workplaces all over the place and that is a real barrier to union organi organizing. concerns for the past four years, this knoxville, tennessee, starbucks has been maggie. 's home. 's home away from. i can usually hear some one greet me -- >> i can usually hear someone greet me. >> rachel: it is a job she struggles with being a part-time student and a full-time single mom. >> i want to show my son that if you want to fight for something, you can do it. >> rachel: maggie since she was initially attracted to starbucks' progressive social values. are independent, she says her story was a short stack of maintenance issues were not being addressed. and covid producti protections

>> others will say there are other ways to get this done. why is a union the solution? >> rachel: it uplifts workers entirely. it gives us the opportunity to operate as a unit and have a collective say together about what we think our workplace should look like. >> rachel: one year ago today, her store voted to unionize. >> starbucks can do better for all of us and we are here to stick together in solidaity and show them that that is what is going to happen. >> rachel: maggie said she faced retaliation for her efforts. in the form of reduced work hours. she says it has caused her to lose her benefits. tell me what the work environment is like at your store right now. >> right now, it is chaos. we are very often shortstaffed. we are very often out of things. >> rachel: in a statement to abc news, starbucks responding to retaliation claims saying in part, we are partners have been subject to corrective action including separation.

we have consistently held that they engaged in misconduct, contrary to starbucks' established policies and procedures. not in retaliation for their participation in or support of any concerted union activity. to the extent claims have been brought against starbucks for violation of labor laws, the company strongly denies any wrongdoing. alto reed evs store has unionize, the unit starbucks workers united have not been able to come to an agreement with the company. in fact, no store in the u.s. has been able to. on the hills, it was not just shows making his case. some republican members of the committee taking issue with the hearing itself. >> i don't want to be part of any witchhunt that vilifies any american business. this is not a fair and impartial hearing. >> rachel: also to sveinn was ressler, a senior research fellow at the heritage foundation. >> employers should not have to fear congressional harassment. the issue of the unfair labor practices, against starbucks is a very small number.

if so, it is not really congress' role to be holding in ceos and private companies and harassing them. >> rachel: before he left, schultz suggested the company would meet at the bargaining table. >> will you make a promise to this committee that you will exchange proposals with the union? so that we can begin to make meaningful progress? >> on a single store basis, we will continue to negotiate in good faith. >> rachel: whether those meetings happen or not, maggie and her fellow partners are determined to keep fighting. you have some critics that say that the costs of the union is just passed down to the custo customer. how do you respond to those critics? >> the cost gets passed down to the customer anyway by the corporation and they keep billions of dollars in profits. when you preferred, the worker who is making your latte is able to afford their rent and gas in the same rs a c.o.sockets?

>> juju: thanks to rachel. the diane sawyer exclusive. after jeremy renner in his first interview since the snow plow accident his reckless story of survival. ♪ ♪ -- miraculous story of survival. i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. and you may lose weight. adults lost up to 14 pounds. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk.

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♪ ♪ >> juju: and finally tonight, after jeremy renner opening up about that accident that nearly killed him. diane sawyer has the exclusive. >> diane: do you remember the pain? >> all of it, yeah. every moment. i would do it again. >> diane: you would do it again? >> you, i would do it again.

>> someone has been run over. hurry. there is a lot of blood. >> diane: eight ribs broken in 14 places. right knee, write ankle broken. right leg to be a broken. right clavicle broken. right shoulder broken. face, eyes, socket, the jaw, the mental broken. lung collapse. pierced from the rib bone. your liver. it sounds terrifying. >> yes. am i just going to be a spine in a brain like a science experiment? >> diane: i heard that you had -- in sign language you said to your family, i'm sorry. >> out. -- yeah. sorry. not going to kill me. no way. >> diane: do you dream of doing those stunts again? >> lost a lot of flesh and bone in the expense but have been revealed and refilled with love and titanium.

>> diane: look at the mirror and you see the same face? >> no, i see a lucky >> juju: jeremy renner, the diane sawyer interview, a story of terror, survival, and tribes. it airs next thursday april 6 at 10:00 p.m. right here on abc. and that is "nightline" for tonight. you can watch all of our full episodes on hulu. we will see you right back here same time tomorrow. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.