Barbada de Barbades reading books to children at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec in 2018.

The drag panic (also called drag queen panic or anti-drag hysteria) is a moral panic that stems from the belief that drag, when exposed to minors, can be harmful, due to its perception as sexual in nature.[1][2][3]

The panic, which had been building for a number of years, became more prominent in 2022,[4] arising in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and in other countries in a series of rallies and counter-rallies related to drag queens reading children's books at storytime events to children.[5] Throughout 2022, there were at least 141 incidents of protests and harassment towards drag events in the United States.[6]

Background

Drag queen arrested in NYC, 1962

Throughout much of the early-twentieth century, drag performances in the United States were criminalized under cross dressing laws.[7] In fact, the 1969 Stonewall Riots began after the New York City Police Department sought to arrest violators of New York's cross-dressing law (which required individuals to wear at least three articles of clothing of their assigned sex).[8]

As such laws were relaxed in the second half of the 20th century, drag appeared in works of wide popular relevance, such as Some Like It Hot (1959), The Birdcage (1996) and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994).[9] In the early 21st century, the art of drag continued to gain popularity and went mainstream, such as via RuPaul's Drag Race,[10] Queen of the Universe,[11] and Drag Den.[12]

Due to the attention paid to the phenomenon on the rise in 2019, right-wing figures such as Chaya Raichik,[13] Matt Walsh,[14][15] Tucker Carlson,[16] Michael Knowles,[17] Dennis Prager,[18] Candace Owens,[19] and Ben Shapiro,[20] began to link drag queens to the LGBT grooming conspiracy theory, calling to limit their visibility.[17][21][22] In subsequent years, some of the states of the United States of America (with a Republican majority)[23][24] proposed and approved various laws with the aim of limiting the performances of drag queens in public.[25][26][27]

Timeline

United States

People protesting against Drag Queen Story Hour in 2022.

Protests against drag performances, especially Drag Queen Story Hour, increased after the 2021 attacks at the United States Capitol.[28] The most vocal opponents are mostly affiliated with alt-right groups.[28] Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson suggested that drag events could "indoctrinate or sexualize" children.[28] Protestors also have expressed concern about homophobic conspiracy theories that performers are grooming children.[29][30] The Anti-Defamation League reported that child abuse conspiracy theory has been fueled by the Libs of TikTok, a far-right Twitter account.[30]

LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD reported over 120 threats against drag shows in the US, throughout 2022.[31] According to a 2022 GLAAD analysis of United States media, social media, and news coverage, as of December 14, 2022, there had been at least "141 incidents in 2022 of anti-LGBTQ protests and threats targeting specific drag events, including during Pride festivities and false rhetoric against performers deployed in campaign ads for the midterm elections."[32] The report also stated incidents included "armed white supremacists demonstrating in Texas and the firebombing of a Tulsa donut shop that had hosted a drag event in October."[32]

A January 2023 report by the Anti-Defamation League, titled "Online Amplifiers of Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism" noted groups involved in protests against drag shows included Gays Against Groomers, Blaze Media, the Texas Family Project, Defend Our Kids Texas, and the Aryan Freedom Network.[33]

In May 2023, masked neo-Nazi groups in Ohio protested a drag event in Columbus, carrying anti-drag and anti-trans banners, such as one that read, "there will be blood."[34][35]

In May 2023 Montana became the first state in the United States to specifically ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries regardless of the sexual significance of the event.[25][36]

In mid-June 2022, the far-right Twitter account Libs of TikTok condemned the upcoming Coeur d'Alene, Idaho's "Pride in the Park" festival due to a "family-friendly drag performance."[37] On June 11, 2022, during the pride event, law enforcement arrested 31 members of the white nationalist and hate group Patriot Front, later charging them with conspiracy to riot.[38]

In July 2023, Kristi Maris, a schoolteacher of nineteen years, was fired from her job at the First Baptist Academy in Baytown, Texas after posting a picture of herself attending a drag show at Hamburger Mary's in Houston on Facebook with the caption, "This was such a blast!!!!". The email that Maris received from the school about the termination of her job claimed that she had breached the school's operating policies manual, which stated that employees "will act in a godly and moral fashion at work, on Facebook and in (the teachers') community".[39]

Tennessee drag ban

On March 2, 2023, Tennessee governor Bill Lee signed the Tennessee Senate Bill 3 to equate drag queen performances with sexual performers.[40] This bill sparked outrage throughout the United States, including politicians and drag queens.[41] Subsequently, a 1977 photo emerged of Lee dressed in drag in the company of minors.[42][43] The ban was later ruled unconstitutional in June 2023 in federal district court.[44]

United Kingdom

In July 2022, right-wing groups protested Drag Queen Story Hour at Reading Central Library in Berkshire.[45][46] The event featured Sab Samuel performing in drag as Aida H Dee.[47] Subsequent protests occurred in Crewe, Bristol,[46] and at Glastonbury Public Library.[48] In August 2022, 50 protestors were met with about 300 counter-protestors outside a drag event at Oxfordshire County Library;[49] police kept the two groups separated.[49] The same month, a drag show featuring Matthew Cavan performing as drag queen Cherri Ontop in Belfast was the target of a protest.[47] Flyers promoting protests to drag performances in the UK are shared in anti-vaccination themed Telegram groups.[46]

Canada

Hamilton, Ontario drag artist Hexe Noire. Pictured here performing in the wake of protests which attempted to disrupt a number of Drag Queen Storytime events hosted in 2022 and 2023.

On November 23, 2022, people protested a drag storytelling event in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver.[50] On November 24, 2022, people protested drag queen Hexe Noire outside the Hamilton Public Library facility.[29] The next day, Book Keeper independent book shop in Sarnia, was protested by men as it hosted its fourth Drag Queen Story Time event.[51] Also in November 2022, an event at Kelseys Original Roadhouse in Burlington, featuring Guelph drag queen Crystal Quartz was canceled following threats made towards the restaurant.[52]

On December 19, 2022, fourteen protestors gathered outside Brockville Public Library in Ontario as it held its first Drag Story Time event.[53] The protestors were met by counter-protestors, which included the library's CEO.[53] Police searched the library for explosive devices after a threat was uttered.[53]

Twice in December 2022, protestors interrupted drag performances at the Britbar venue in Penticton, British Columbia, and at DunnEnzies restaurant in British Columbia's Okanagan.[54][55]

Events in January, February, March, May, and June 2023 by performer Betty Baker were protested at the Peterborough Public Library in Ontario by Kevin Goudreau, Save Canada, and other individuals. On all occasions protesters were outnumbered by counter-protesters.

Finland

Helsinki Central Library Oodi arranged a drag queen story hour in conjunction with to the Helsinki Pride festival on 1 July 2022. The performer, nicknamed Gaylien 2000, declined to reveal their true identity. Around 25-30 protesters demonstrated and conducted speeches in front of the library, after which some of them entered the library in an attempt to block the event. This prompted a large police response. The performer had been accused of paedophilia and threatened online before the event.[56][57]

Cultural center Malmitalo in Helsinki planned to view a documentary named Drag Kids during a festival in 2023. The event was cancelled due to a significant security threat. The documentary contained scenes where very young children danced in front of an adult audience receiving money for exchange, which Children's Ombudsman Elina Pekkarinen considered inappropriate and sexualizing.[58]

France

In 2023, a reading story hour activity in Toulouse was cancelled due to protests on social media by extremists.[59]

Media

Following the origin of the drag panic and the consequent restrictive legislation on the subject, various telethons have been organized on the subject, such as Drag Isn't Dangerous, which featured numerous drag queens, including contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as actors and comedians such as Margaret Cho, Leslie Jones, Ts Madison, Amy Schumer, and Charlize Theron.[60]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tannehill, Brynn (January 12, 2023). "The Moral Panic We Cannot Ignore". Dame Magazine. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ Goodwin, Grace Eliza. "Florida neo-Nazis who projected a swastika on a downtown building say the hysteria over drag queens is helping them recruit people". Insider. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ Vognar, Chris (May 3, 2023). "Drag is under attack in Texas—but not at this Houston theater". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ Stack, Liam (June 6, 2019). "Drag Queen Story Hour Continues Its Reign at Libraries, Despite Backlash". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ Arkell, Emma (December 1, 2022). "A number of drag shows in Ontario have become targets of hate". Xtra Magazine. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  6. ↑ O'Hara, Mary Emily (November 21, 2022). "Update GLAAD Report: Drag events faced at least 141 protests and significant threats in 2022". Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ Sears, Clare (March 15, 2023). "This Isn't the First Time Conservatives Have Banned Cross-Dressing in America". Jacobin. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ Dunham, Cyrus Grace (November 19, 2015). "Stuck in Stonewall". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  9. ↑ Cain, Matt (January 31, 2023). "History's most incredible drag queens and kings". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  10. ↑ Montgomery, Hugh (October 2, 2019). "Is RuPaul's Drag Race good for drag?". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  11. ↑ Del Rosario, Alexandra (November 10, 2021). "'Queen Of The Universe': RuPaul To EP Paramount+ Drag Singing Competition, International Contestants Unveiled". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  12. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (July 21, 2021). "'Drag Race' queen Manila Luzon says new 'Drag Den' series will 'take over the world'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  13. ↑ Cocker, Alex; Cocker, Rose (December 22, 2022). "The moral panic around drag makes even less sense in the UK's pantomime season". Monthly Review. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Matt Walsh: Police need to "break down the doors" of drag shows". Los Angeles Blade. October 20, 2022. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ Olivier, Indigo (December 27, 2022). "Transphobe of the Year: Matt Walsh". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ Whitehouse, John (June 14, 2022). "Fox spent more time attacking trans people and drag queens than it did covering the second January 6 hearing". Media Matters for America. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  17. 1 2 Hesse, Monica. "The right-wing drag panic is not about men wearing women's clothing". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  18. ↑ Prager, Dennis (July 5, 2022). Dennis Prager: Drag Queens in Schools. YouTube. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ Kilander, Gustaf (June 17, 2022). "Critics rip Candace Owens for her absurd comments about drag queens". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  20. ↑ Shapiro, Ben (November 22, 2022). If You Don't Cheer Drag Queen Story Hour, You're A Terrorist. YouTube. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  21. ↑ Perrett, Connor (June 14, 2022). "Drag shows are the latest battleground in the right wing anti-gay disinformation campaign about 'grooming'". Insider. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  22. ↑ Helmore, Edward (January 21, 2023). "Republican legislators introduce new laws to crack down on drag shows". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  23. ↑ Dress, Brad (May 13, 2023). "Why the GOP is going to war over military drag queens". The Hill. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  24. ↑ Mizelle, Shawna (February 5, 2023). "Republicans across the country push legislation to restrict drag show performances". CNN. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  25. 1 2 "Montana first to ban people dressed in drag from reading to children in schools, libraries". Associated Press. May 24, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  26. ↑ Andrew, Scottie (April 29, 2023). "The US has a rich drag history. Here's why the art form will likely outlast attempts to restrict it". CNN. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  27. ↑ Burga, Solcyre (March 5, 2023). "Here's the Status of Anti-Drag Bills Across the U.S." Time. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  28. 1 2 3 Brend, Yvette (December 15, 2022). "Drag storytimes have become a target of hate. Why some families love them anyway". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  29. 1 2 Ottenhof, Luke (November 29, 2022). "'I don't feel safe': Ontario drag performers reckon with heightened risk". TVO. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  30. 1 2 Center on Extremism (September 16, 2022). "What is 'Grooming?' The Truth Behind the Dangerous, Bigoted Lie Targeting the LGBTQ+ Community". Anti-Defamation League. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  31. ↑ Simpson, Katie (December 8, 2022). "As drag shows in the U.S. are increasingly targeted, the community fears violence". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  32. 1 2 "UPDATED GLAAD Report: Drag events faced at least 141 protests and significant threats in 2022". glaad.org. GLAAD. November 21, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Online Amplifiers of Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism". www.adl.org. Anti-Defamation League. January 24, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  34. ↑ Filby, Max (May 1, 2023). "Nazis protest at Land-Grant drag brunch: Here's what you need to know now". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  35. ↑ McNeill, Zane (May 2, 2023). "Nazis Carrying Banner That Says, 'There Will Be Blood' Protest Ohio Drag Brunch". Truthout. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Montana first to ban drag performers from reading to children". NBC News. Associated Press. May 24, 2023. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  37. ↑ "UPDATED GLAAD Report: Drag events faced at least 141 protests and significant threats in 2022". GLAAD. November 21, 2022. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  38. ↑ Hayden, Michael Edison (June 14, 2022). "Far-right Influencers Hyped Coeur D'Alene Pride Before Patriot Front Showed Up". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  39. ↑ Murney, Michael (July 26, 2023). "Houston-area teacher fired for attending drag show at downtown bar". chron.com. Hearst Newspapers, LLC. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  40. ↑ Lavietes, Matt. "Tennessee governor signs first-of-its-kind bill restricting drag shows". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  41. ↑ Baker-Jordan, Skylar (March 2, 2023). "Why the Tennessee ban on drag shows should terrify us all". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  42. ↑ Wendling, Mike (March 2, 2023). "Tennessee curbs trans treatment and drag for children". BBC News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  43. ↑ Bacallao, Marianna (March 2, 2023). "Gov. Bill Lee signs into law a ban on drag shows. Performers say it's too subjective". WPLN-FM. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  44. ↑ Gans, Jared (June 3, 2023). "Federal judge rules Tennessee restrictions on drag shows unconstitutional". The Hill. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  45. ↑ Aldridge, James (July 26, 2022). "Police stationed outside library amid protests over Drag Queen storybook event". Reading Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  46. 1 2 3 John, Tara (August 4, 2022). "Drag queen storytime in England promotes compassion and inclusion. British far-right extremists are importing US hate against them". CNN. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  47. 1 2 Jonze, Tim (August 11, 2022). "'I'm just trying to make the world a little brighter': how the culture wars hijacked Drag Queen Story Hour". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  48. ↑ Malloy, Tomas (October 23, 2022). "Dozens protest as library hosts drag queen event for children". Somerset Live. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  49. 1 2 "Supporters and protesters turn out at Oxford drag queen kids' storytime". BBC South. August 23, 2022. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  50. ↑ Marsten, Emily (November 26, 2022). "Emotions flare as protestors gather outside drag queen story time event in Kitsilano". CityNews. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  51. ↑ Janzer, Stacey (December 13, 2022). "Protests won't stop Drag Queen Story Time in Sarnia, bookstore owner says". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  52. ↑ Charaani, James (December 6, 2022). "Guelph drag queen sees all-ages shows targeted by social media campaigns". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  53. 1 2 3 Peddigrew, Ryan (December 19, 2022). "Opposing protest groups clash outside Brockville, Ont. drag event". Global News. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  54. ↑ Wasney, Jayden (December 9, 2022). "Second drag show disrupted by protestors in one week in the Okanagan". Global News. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  55. ↑ White, Cindy (December 8, 2022). "Police disperse protest against drag show at DunnEnzies in Kelowna". Castanet. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  56. ↑ "Poliisi selvittää, onko Oodin satuhetkeä häirinneitä epäiltävä rikoksesta – näin tapahtumat etenivät" [Police investigating whether disruptors of Oodi story time committed a crime]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). July 1, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  57. ↑ "Mielenosoittajat yrittivät estää drag-artistin vetämän lasten satuhetken Oodissa – "Käsittämätöntä, että tehdään olkiukko, mitä vastaan hyökätään"" [Demonstrators try to prevent children's drag story time in Oodi] (in Finnish). July 2022. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  58. ↑ "Drag Kids -elokuvan poisveto aiheutti kuohuntaa – "Tilanteeseen liittyi myös merkittävä turvallisuusuhka"" [Withdrawal of Drag Kids movie causes an uproar]. MTV3 (in Finnish).
  59. ↑ "Un atelier pour enfants animé par des drag-queens fait débat à Toulouse" [A children's activity led by drag queens is the subject of debate in Toulouse]. 20 minutes (in French). January 24, 2023. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  60. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (March 20, 2023). "'Drag Race' winners, queer icons unite for telethon against anti-drag laws". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
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