amna: Drag shows are no longer
the underground phenomenon they
once were.
In fact, family-themed drag
events are often held in many
cities for younger audiences.
But as the backlash and rhetoric
against lgbtq people has grown,
so have the threats to drag
community.
>> Reclaim America!
Amna: More than 50 members of
the far right white nationalist
groups proud boys and patriot
front marched in the streets of
Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.
They were protesting a local
schools' "Holidrag storytime"
event, where three local drag
performers read children books
and sing holiday songs.
School officials at red oak
community school decided to
cancel the event citing safety
concerns.
>> The world is getting more and
more unsafe for the lgbtq
community.
The attacks are constant and
getting worse.
The fact that we are not able to
successfully host this simple
event shows the extent of the
damage we have to do better.
Amna: It's one of a number of
drag story hours disrupted by
far-right protesters this year,
including in Nevada, Oregon and
California.
>> Wake up, there!
Mumbled mole.
Amna: Events like drag queen
storytimes are intended to
promote inclusion and diversity
to younger audiences,but
they have now become a target
for right-wing media and
politicians.
>> Let's say you were interested
in sexualizing children and
unfortunately some people are,
what would you do?
You might have a drag queen
story hour at a library or at
school.
That's where you would
indoctrinate and sexualize
children.
It is happening across the
country.
Amna: Some Republican candidates
amped up targeted messaging
before the midterms.
In June, the GOP nominee for
Arizona governor Kari lake
tweeted "They kicked god out of
schools and welcomed the drag
queens. They took down our flag
and replaced it with a rainbowaa
-- with a rainbow."
But those who track that
rhetoric say the real-world
consequences are clear.
A new report by the lgbtq media
advocacy group glaad found at
least 124 instances of drag
events being protested,
threatened or attacked this year
in 47 states.
The report also found a total of
8 proposed bills this year
aiming to ban or restrict drag
performances.
To discuss these threats and the
legislation and rhetoric
targeting lgbtq people, I am
joined by glaad president and
CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
Welcome to the newshour.
Thank you for joining us.
For those unfamiliar, can you
explain a little bit about the
culture of drag and the place it
holds in the lgbtq community?
Sarah Kate: Sure.
Drag has long been a place of
joy, of protest, of expression.
It is really an art form.
It has been a sacred space, a
place where we have gathered as
family, as friends, and it has
been a place of joy.
Now it is a place of terror,
quite wrinkly.
It really has changed
dramatically in a short time.
Amna: When you started hearing
this political rhetoric of
people accusing people of
grooming at these drag storytime
events, what did you think?
Sarah Kate: I was surprised by
it.
We had heard that rhetoric
before around marriage equality
and when we were fighting for
marriage equality.
And I thought it was done there.
Over this past year, what we
have seen is a very quick and
steady assault against the lgbtq
community, both in words and in
actions.
I think it started during the
legislative session this past
year when we saw over 300
anti-lgbtq bills.
We saw that starting to get
traction and build and build and
build.
A lot of that was against trans
youth.
Really targeting -- the targets
that have been against our
community have been around
trans, youth in our community,
and now the drag community in
our community.
Amna: You mentioned in that
report 124 instances, protests,
and attacks you have tracked.
You said it is likely an
undercount.
Give us a sense of what we are
talking about with protests and
attacks.
He said there is terror in the
community.
Why?
Sarah Kate: I think because of
all of this rhetoric we are
seeing.
There have been so many
articles, mentions, and to talk
about the lgbtq community in a
really negative, nasty way.
What happens is social media
goes unchecked and it takes
those lies and that
disinformation and it spreads it
like wildfire.
It stirs that people and creates
this environment that is very
deadly.
It is really interesting because
we started doing this count
right before Colorado Springs
happened, because we realized
that if you pulled back and you
look at it holistically, there
were so many attacks against the
drag community, that it was not
these isolated incidents.
It was a coordinated effort
against the drag community,
against lgbtq community.
And right before that mass
shooting happened in Colorado
Springs at club Q, all of a
sudden, it came together that
there were 124 attacks and
protests against drag events.
These events, just so you know,
are light and fun.
For my family during covid, we
did drag bingo on zoom as a
holiday event so that we all
could get together and have some
fun and laughs enjoy in a really
dark time.
These are really fun events, and
I think that now they are
terrorizing us.
So that we are scared.
But we will never back down.
We will never back down, we will
never stop having drag events.
Amna: When you talk about the
attacks and threats on these
drag storytime events, is it
fair to link those to the ramped
up rhetoric we have seen from
far right Republicans?
Sarah Kate: Absolutely.
You can see a direct link.
From what the far right
Republicans are saying, to what
is happening on social media,
because what happens on social
media is a gets repeated,
amplified, and spread.
People start to organize attacks
on social media against these
drag events.
We just put a person that is
lgbtq focused in the center for
extremism with the
anti-defamation league because
we can see direct links from
what is being said from
politicians, to what is said
online, to then what the attacks
on our community.
Yes, there is a direct line.
And it is really sad.
These politicians understand
that people accept lgbtq people.
The vast majority of Americans
accept lgbtq people.
They try to use us as political
ponds to inflate their career,
raise money for all of their
well-being, with lies and
disinformation.
Amna: The violence is a
disturbing TRE to see.
Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO and
president of glad, we thank you
for joining us to talk about it
tonight.
Sarah Kate: Thank you.