Watch: Kid-Friendly Drag Show Draws Protests in Texas
A kid-friendly drag show at a local gay bar in Dallas, Texas, is drawing praise and pans across political party lines on social media, reported WFAA.
The event, held at bar Mr. Misster and titled "Drag the kids to pride," was billed as a family-friendly spin-off of their Champagne Drag Brunch that would allow kids to dance with performers on stage.
"During the event, drag performers danced and walked down the aisle in the center of the room," WFFA reports. "At times, the dancers would take dollar bills from some of the children. Kids also walked with the dancers down the aisle during the event."
As news about the event circulated, it drew protesters from a group called "Protect Texas Kids" outside the bar and online who hoped to stop the event before it even began.
"I live in this community," said a protester by the name of Dasy. "I have for several years. I don't believe that I should be seeing signs advertising for children to be dancing on stage with men in thongs and in inappropriate clothing and makeup. I do not in any way condone the behavior that these people are engaging in, but what drags me out here is its kids now."
On Sunday, former Navy SEAL and noted homophobe Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw said the parents who took their kids to the event had "lost their minds a long time ago," in a series of tweets.
Other videos on Twitter show protestors attempting to push their way into the bar, but the context of those videos is difficult to ascertain.
After the uproar, the Mr. Misster bar released a statement of support for the event and the continuation of creating family-friendly events.
"We are more than happy to open our doors to celebrate Pride in a family friendly, safe environment, separate from our normal operations of 2 p.m. — 2 a.m. on Saturdays because we believe that everyone should have a space to be able to celebrate who they are," the statement read.
Tell us in comments, is the event prideful or problematic?