The administration of Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> (R-FL) moved to revoke the liquor license of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> venue that hosted a &#8220;sexually explicit&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag show</a> that was open to children, according to a complaint filed Friday. 
The Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation, a performance art center, had hosted a performance of “A Drag Queen Christmas” on December 28, an event which was advertised as being open to “all ages” despite warnings from the state of Florida about restricting attendance if the performance was sexually explicit. 
After the show, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed <a href="https://flvoicenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-03-ADMINISTRATIVE-COMPLAINT-2022061146-ORLANDO-PHILHARMONIC-THE.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an administrative complaint</a> to revoke the venue&#8217;s liquor license after determining that the performance was explicit and that there were children present. 
“Governor DeSantis stands to protect the innocence of children, and the governor always follows through when he says he will do something,” DeSantis Press Secretary Bryan Griffin <a href="https://flvoicenews.com/desantis-administration-is-revoking-liquor-license-of-orlando-sexual-drag-show-venue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement to Florida’s Voice News.
The complaint said that the theater “promoted the Show using targeted, Christmas-themed promotional materials that did not provide notice as to the sexually explicit nature of the show’s performance or other content.” 
“Rather than call attention to the Show’s sexually explicit content or acknowledge that it might not be appropriate for children, Respondent’s promotional material unequivocally stated ‘all ages welcome,’” the complaint continues. 
According to the officials, the show’s explicit content included: exposing prosthetic breasts and female genitalia, exposing the buttocks of performers, simulated masturbation, and sexually explicit children’s Christmas songs like “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer.”
The complaint said that the performance violated several Florida statutes, leading the agency to move to revoke the liquor license. The complaint follows an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-investigates-alleged-sexually-explicit-performance-marketed-to-children-a-crime-in-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> by Florida into several drag performances, including one in Fort Lauderdale. 
Republicans in other states have also moved to prohibit children from being exposed to sexually explicit drag shows. Earlier this week, a bill intended to prevent children from attending such performances <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/politics/tennessee-drag-show-cabaret-bill/51-69211c27-114a-49de-a248-3038e27a8a81" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced</a> in the Tennessee state Senate.  
The proposal was introduced by Republican state Sen. Jack Johnson, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-tennessee-performing-arts-center-hosted-all-ages-drag-christmas-show-as-republicans-propose-banning-similar-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Daily Wire in December that he is “cautiously optimistic” that it would pass. 
“I think we would all agree that some of the video we have seen recently of some of these drag shows that were quote-unquote family-friendly were anything but that. And If I had attended one of those with my kids I would have been mortified and I would have wanted someone to be prosecuted for engaging in that kind of entertainment in front of my kids,” Johnson said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-tennessee-performing-arts-center-hosted-all-ages-drag-christmas-show-as-republicans-propose-banning-similar-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taxpayer-Funded Tennessee Performing Arts Center Hosted &#8216;All Ages&#8217; Christmas Show As Republicans Propose Banning Similar Events</a>

Ron DeSantis Holds Election Night Event In Tampa

DeSantis Admin Moves To Punish Florida Venue That Hosted ‘Sexually Explicit’ Drag Show Open To Kids

DeSantis Admin Moves To Punish Florida Venue That Hosted 'Sexually Explicit' Drag Show Open To Kids

Drag Queens

Florida

Ron DeSantis

Social Issues

U.S.

The Arkansas Senate advanced a bill on Tuesday that would designate drag shows as &#8220;adult-oriented businesses&#8221; to protect children and block minors from attending.
The legislation also proposes a ban on drag queen performances on public property in a move that would end Drag Queen Story Hour-like events at public libraries.
“I can’t think of anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men who are dressed like women,” <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/3829078-bill-to-classify-drag-shows-as-adult-oriented-businesses-clears-arkansas-senate/?utm_source=hill_app&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=share-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield, who introduced the legislation earlier this month.
The bill passed 29-6 along party lines in the Republican-controlled Senate. The proposal now moves to the Arkansas House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass under the 82-18 GOP majority.
Eric Reece, director of the Human Rights Campaign in Arkansas, condemned the legislation in a <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-human-rights-campaign-condemns-arkansas-senate-for-advancing-bill-restricting-drag-performances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“Many drag performances – such as Drag Queen story hours at schools and libraries – are age appropriate for children and can teach important lessons like acceptance and openness,&#8221; Reece wrote.
&#8220;This is just another example of radical politicians in Arkansas spreading propaganda and creating more stigma, discrimination, and ultimately violence against transgender and non-binary people just to rile up extreme members of their base,&#8221; he added.
In addition to Arkansas, Republicans in Tennessee have <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/SB0003.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> a similar drag queen ban that would prohibit minors from events and performances. The Volunteer State legislation also seeks to add drag performances to its list of adult-oriented businesses that would be unable to operate within 1,000 feet of schools, public parks, or houses of worship.
The Tennessee bill would allow some exceptions, focusing specifically on performances that are sexual in nature, <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/tn-gop-files-bill-to-ban-drag-shows-that-are-sexual-in-nature-in-public-spaces-around-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson.
Oklahoma state lawmakers are also pursuing a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oklahoma-bill-fine-jail-drag-queens-20000-performing-minors-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> against drag queen events involving minors that would fine offenders up to $20,000 and potentially jail those performing in front of children for up to two years.
West Virginia is also among the states reportedly <a href="https://www.lootpress.com/senator-proposes-bill-that-would-ban-minors-from-attending-drag-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considering</a> similar bans.
The movement to enact anti-drag queen bills to prevent minors from attending such activities follows the growing popularity of Drag Queen Story Hour events held at libraries and schools across the nation. Past readings have included strong protests from parents and community members concerned over introducing children to sexualized content.
Actor Kirk Cameron recently added to the controversy after he proposed a values-based alternative to read his &#8220;As You Grow&#8221; children&#8217;s book at public libraries. He was reportedly turned down at many of the same public libraries that had previously held Drag Queen Story Hour events.
Cameron ultimately challenged what some describe as a double standard and secured readings in multiple library locations. Earlier this month, his publisher said nearly 1,000 people packed a Southern California library for Cameron&#8217;s event.
“All the forces of darkness are no match for moms and dads who are committed to God, and to their family, and to teaching their children,” Cameron told the crowd.

Drag Queen Story Hour

Arkansas Senate Bill Classifies Drag Shows As ‘Adult-Oriented Businesses’ In Effort To Protect Children

Arkansas

Drag Queen story hour

Politics

Chelmsford Public Library in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/massachusetts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts</a> canceled a local minister’s Pastor Story Hour event after pressure from residents.
The promotion of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a> movement among young children through the Drag Queen Story Hour trend has recently garnered national headlines, leading pastors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pastor-story-hour-ministers-take-bible-based-picture-books-to-local-libraries-amid-drag-queen-story-hour-craze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">across the country</a> to reserve spaces at their local libraries and host events during which children can discover biblical teachings about gender and sexuality. Kendall Lankford, teaching pastor of The Shepherd’s Church, had scheduled one such event on Friday at Chelmsford Public Library and told The Daily Wire that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/following-christs-own-example-pastor-story-hour-becomes-a-nationwide-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected</a> between 50 and 75 children to attend the program.
Chelmsford Public Library posted a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chelmsfordlibrary/posts/pfbid0BbVsKKL2NUKezy5TvgpFPFc8pavdWvKqCYHj9n1Qc8vUaL6iBzdQZTNz68AqBT4wl?__cft__[0]=AZUWUlnNYhgQhvcZttCYZPn4j-ZAH9RLAPfXNb91qPPwnQXbfGDTCeMx9Os4cl8utGUtTTD9nxupGNI7Si0ClZC6-9Rk1hyXgamQiL_YM1oomguhRYuGwlxukdqsbyMgwo7KsatcOZLYjy7iDdqnHp0c&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Wednesday that addressed controversy regarding the event and reminded residents that the program was entirely optional. “Use of a library meeting room by a nonprofit does not indicate endorsement by the library,” the statement said. “We support your individual choices as to what to attend and do not advertise or promote any non-library meetings on the library calendar.”
Residents nevertheless flooded the comments section with claims that Lankford was seeking to “indoctrinate youth” into bigotry. “By allowing hate into your library you&#8217;re implicitly saying to vulnerable populations that they&#8217;re not safe there,” one commenter said. “This is blatant discrimination, homophobia, bigotry, transphobia,” added another.
A subsequent <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chelmsfordlibrary/posts/pfbid036BqxxovyESw7dA2AxmHkBWj1B9wiV2xKoJAfLfsGuN8buowRhsv8TsL2D6K7roTJl?__cft__[0]=AZXHClvWT9wPbpqcYVrWwfrSbthvQMuUdYqbbnUXEgDMGSm0XOf0QGX2Ikk4wMnsve-_NC_oDQqkkXL6hYeM0fjq-HAQpXE3eO4MXZfVGna34iynqiokqOx3EWEJe889x3crEydvkFs-MLAcW4v9JEv9BaqmATZXLwLgRQDI3C8WfA&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> posted on Thursday announced that Chelmsford Public Library directors and trustees decided to preemptively cancel Lankford’s reservation based on violations of “acceptable behavior policies.” Officials claimed the event would contradict policies against proselytizing and said publicity from The Shepherd’s Church improperly indicated that the library was co-sponsoring their program.
Lankford told The Daily Wire that he has retained legal counsel and lamented that officials nixed the program.
“With less than twenty four hours before our Pastor Story Hour, the Chelmsford Public Library appears to have caved to mounting pressure in the community to have our event canceled. We are very disappointed in the outcome and disappointed for all of the children that we had invited, who were excited that an event like this could occur,” he said. “We believe that God will get the glory from this and that this discrimination against our biblical worldview will be swiftly corrected.”
Pastor Story Hour events across the country have faced opposition from residents. Activists revealed their intentions to <a href="https://twitter.com/fc_csj/status/1612185318345564163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">organize</a> a rival event at the same time as a Pastor Story Hour hosted by Owen Strachan, the provost of Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas. Libraries in New York and Indiana <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/libraries-cave-after-refusing-faith-based-story-hour-kirk-cameron-celebrates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reversed</a> course after initially canceling events hosted by Christian actor and conservative activist Kirk Cameron.
During his interview earlier this week with The Daily Wire, Lankford cited commandments to “equip, train, and raise up the next generation of children in the fear and admonition of the Lord,” as well as “take that commitment for home discipleship and expand it to the nations.”
“Christ has a vision for the entire world and not just for our homes, which means that the scope of the gospel, the goal for which the Church is laboring, will not be accomplished until all the children of the world come under God’s blessing and have been taught a biblical worldview,” Lankford commented. “With that, the drag queens in particular, and the LGBTQ movement in general, are the ones who are truly on the wrong side of history. And I will admit, the church has much work to accomplish until that work is finished, but sloth, apathy, and hiding our heads in the proverbial sand will certainly not get us there.”

Library

Minister Lawyers Up After Massachusetts Library Cancels His ‘Pastor Story Hour’ Event

Massachusetts Pastor Lawyers Up After Library Cancels His Story Hour Event

Christianity

LGBTQ

Months after a handful of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christianity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ministers</a> visited their libraries with Pastor Story Hour events meant to oppose the Drag Queen Story Hour trend, similar initiatives are appearing across the country.
The promotion of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a> movement among young children through <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/drag-queen-invited-to-biden-white-house-once-performed-for-a-2-year-old-boy-the-kids-are-out-to-sing-and-suck-d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vulgar drag performances</a> and events in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mom-blasts-school-board-over-drag-show-for-high-schoolers-while-wearing-the-same-outfit-the-drag-queen-wore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">government schools</a> has recently garnered national headlines. Dale Partridge, the pastor of Reformation Fellowship in Arizona, and Michael Foster, the pastor of East River Church in Ohio, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pastor-story-hour-ministers-take-bible-based-picture-books-to-local-libraries-amid-drag-queen-story-hour-craze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> members of their communities to discover biblical teachings about gender last year, while Christian actor and conservative activist Kirk Cameron <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/libraries-cave-after-refusing-faith-based-story-hour-kirk-cameron-celebrates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> a tour of libraries across the country.
During interviews with The Daily Wire, Partridge and Foster emphasized the necessity for Christians to accompany mere complaints — about LGBTQ activism meant to influence children — with moves to advance the gospel and a biblical view of sexuality. The Daily Wire has learned of several Pastor Story Hour events scheduled across the nation over the next several weeks.
Owen Strachan, provost of Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas, will read a picture book and deliver a biblical message at the Conway Public Library on January 14. The event has already garnered attention from social justice activists, who <a href="https://twitter.com/fc_csj/status/1612185318345564163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan</a> to host a rival story hour at the same time as Strachan’s event.
“Our culture now privileges drag queens over biblical kings. Tragically, children have been placed in the middle of this confusion,” Strachan said in remarks provided to The Daily Wire. “As Christians, we love children. Following Christ’s own example, we love boys and girls by welcoming them, protecting them, preaching the gospel to them, and teaching them all God’s truth. This includes biblical truth about men, women, and God’s design for sexuality.”
Kendall Lankford, teaching pastor of The Shepherd’s Church in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, will host a Pastor Story Hour event on January 13 at Chelmsford Public Library. He expects between 50 and 75 children to attend the program; among other reasons for hosting the event, Lankford cited commandments to “equip, train, and raise up the next generation of children in the fear and admonition of the Lord,” as well as “take that commitment for home discipleship and expand it to the nations.”
“Christ has a vision for the entire world and not just for our homes, which means that the scope of the gospel, the goal for which the Church is laboring, will not be accomplished until all the children of the world come under God’s blessing and have been taught a biblical worldview,” Lankford told The Daily Wire. “With that, the drag queens in particular, and the LGBTQ movement in general, are the ones who are truly on the wrong side of history. And I will admit, the church has much work to accomplish until that work is finished, but sloth, apathy, and hiding our heads in the proverbial sand will certainly not get us there.”
Lankford commented that American Christians have a deficient view of family discipleship despite the fact that there exists “a Bible to decorate every dusty shelf.”
“Over the last several generations the church has been asleep, uncritically and complicitly participating at every level of the whims and fancies of this decaying culture, and in some ways, we need to face the fact that much of the moral slide we see around us is on us,” he said.”We may not have perpetrated it, but by sending our children into increasingly secular schools, allowing them unfettered access to internet and social media where they are being discipled by pedophiles, perverts, and activists, and by remaining quiet and not sharing God’s truth, we have abandoned the world and countless children to their own destruction.”
Tedd Sutton, pastor of Christ Covenant Reformed Church in Billings, Montana, is hosting a Pastor Story Hour event on January 21. He remarked that proponents of the LGBTQ movement target children and the nuclear family because they are “the very bedrock of civilization” and pointed to the need for men to serve as protectors.
“I believe this project is necessary because as a pastor, it is part of my call to bring the gospel to the community. It is a simple way to teach the beauty of biblical sexual ethics and the hope of the good news of Christ to a sinful world in which we live,” he told The Daily Wire. “Pastors must lead the way in this fight. They must ‘take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.’ May Christ give pastors courage and strength to stand firm in this fight, and may he grant true reformation and revival in our land.”

Library in a further education college

‘Following Christ’s Own Example’: Pastor Story Hour Becomes A Nationwide Trend

Pastor Story Hour Becomes A Nationwide Trend

Bible

Pastor

A troupe has been established featuring adults with Down syndrome performing in drag shows.
An experimental performance and dance company called <a href="//BF9094BC-40C2-4F43-BD22-52CB22928E80/Underground%20Drag%20event%20performed%20by%20drag%20queens%20and%20kings%20with%20Down's%20Syndrome." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Culture Device</a>, which works with Down Syndrome adults, operates “<a href="https://www.dragsyndrome.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drag Syndrome</a>,” which they <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bricp5EBBb0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">describe</a> as “The Drag Troupe for Kings and Queens with Learning Disabilities.” Daniel Vais, the artistic director of Culture Device, enthused about bringing Down syndrome adults into performing in drag.
“All of them got really excited,” Vais told <a href="//BF9094BC-40C2-4F43-BD22-52CB22928E80/v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mashable</a>. “So we started researching drag. The history of drag. The styles of drag. We looked at drag queens from all around the world. By the time we met the next time, they knew everything about the history of drag.”
“We now have invites [to perform] from around the world,&#8221; Vais boasting that an American tour is forthcoming. He claimed people with Down Syndrome aren’t expected to have sexuality.  “They tell me, ‘People see us as childish. They don’t even think that we can actually watch porn if we want. They don’t see us as people with desire.  But we have the dreams and aspirations of anybody else,’” Vais claimed.
Vais spoke of the first event for his Down Syndrome performers :
<blockquote>
The event fully sold out. And while we were performing it, the audience came up to me and said, “This is revolutionary. This is history happening here. The artists that performed it did such a good job.” The audience realized we were doing something out of this world. This was not just people with Down syndrome dressing up. This is proper, proper drag. It was so new to them.
</blockquote>
“Suddenly in front of them is an amazing drag queen with Down syndrome performing like a master,” he continued. “ [The audience] thought [the people with Down syndrome] were all very cute and very angelic. Suddenly, it becomes so fierce. You have this drag queen going on stage saying &#8216;Good evening, bitches.&#8217; And it&#8217;s an amazing drag queen. And she controls the crowd.&#8221;
“When my artists are dancing on the dance floor it&#8217;s like Rihanna came. This is not a social experiment. It&#8217;s not an after-school club. This is proper avant-garde art,” Vais concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is unethical and this is evil. Exploiting and demeaning helpless people with Down Syndrome for entertainment or political clout is depraved. <a href="https://t.co/cKbOe5j2mK">pic.twitter.com/cKbOe5j2mK</a>
&mdash; Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarinaMedvin/status/1610845595664523269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Drag queen with hand on hip, close-up

‘This Is Unethical And This Is Evil’: British Performing Group Features Down Syndrome Adults In Drag

British Performing Group Features Down Syndrome Adults In Drag

Down Syndrome

Entertainment

Health

World

A performing arts center in part funded by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> taxpayers hosted an “all ages” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag show</a> last month as Republicans in the Volunteer State propose protecting children from “sexually explicit” performances. 
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the James K. Polk Theatre, a part of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in Nashville, hosted a presentation of “A Drag Queen Christmas,” which was put on by Murray &amp; Peter Present. The event was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1089887155253391/?privacy_mutation_token=eyJ0eXBlIjowLCJjcmVhdGlvbl90aW1lIjoxNjY1MDY2MTEwLCJjYWxsc2l0ZV9pZCI6MzU5MDM2MDAxOTY4NDMyfQ%3D%3D&amp;acontext=%7B%22ref_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22source%22%3A%223%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%22117%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&amp;paipv=0&amp;eav=AfadIgM8uCHYhQqXWawe6fextPuknGpiMP_zWtWw4bEM5mUpeCPEQ4yZG-JOHE3v5rc&amp;_rdr">advertised</a> on Facebook as open for “all ages.” 
The performance comes as State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson has<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-moves-to-protect-children-from-sexualized-drag-queen-events"> introduced</a> legislation that would prohibit children from being exposed to sexually explicit drag and other performances
Johnson told The Daily Wire his legislation might apply to the performance at TPAC depending on if the drag performance was sexually explicit or not. 
“I think we would all agree that some of the video we have seen recently of some of these drag shows that were quote-unquote family-friendly were anything but that. And If I had attended one of those with my kids I would have been mortified and I would have wanted someone to be prosecuted for engaging in that kind of entertainment in front of my kids,” he said.  
He added that he was “cautiously optimistic” that his legislation would pass in the upcoming legislative session.
Jade Byers, a spokeswoman for Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a>, told The Daily Wire that “The Governor is grateful to Leader Johnson for his efforts on this important issue, and we look forward to working with the General Assembly to pass legislation that protects Tennessee children.” 
According to program details, it was the eighth year that such a performance has been held at the venue. Video from performances of the Christmas drag show  in other locations has <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/video-all-ages-christmas-drag-show-sparks-outrage-children-being-groomed-adults">emerged</a> that appears to be explicit. 
TPAC receives some funding through the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC), a state government-sanctioned group to <a href="https://www.tn.gov/artscommission/about-us.html">invest</a> “public dollars” in projects that promote the state&#8217;s cultural life. 
The TAC is listed as a “high impact” partner of TPAC. According to the TAC, money it designated in 2022 for TPAC went toward programs such as teacher training, afterschool programs, and theater performances for lifelong learners. 
The TAC also designated about $1.9 million in federal money to TPAC over revenue loss due to the pandemic. The TAC did not comment on whether it was appropriate to send state funds to TPAC given its promotion and hosting of the drag Christmas show open to children. 
A review of state <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/finance/budget/documents/2023BudgetDocumentVol1.pdf">budgets</a> also shows that Tennessee allocates about $300,000 per year to TPAC, which TPAC says goes toward state “facilities in the Polk Cultural Center and the historic War Memorial Auditorium” that it operates. 
According to Tony Marks, the vice president of marketing and communications for TPAC, the arts center has a “strong working relationship” with the state of Tennessee. “As a result, we are aware of these concerns and will take them into consideration related to venue rental decisions going forward,” Marks told The Daily Wire. 
Murray &amp; Peter Present&#8217;s drag Christmas show tour, which began in November, will conclude on December 29 after several performances in Florida.

IMG_20221221_145939313_HDR

Taxpayer-Funded Tennessee Performing Arts Center Hosted ‘All Ages’ Drag Christmas Show As Republicans Propose Banning Similar Events

Taxpayer-Funded Tennessee Performance Center Hosted ‘All Ages’ Drag Christmas Show As Republicans Propose Banning Similar Events

Bill Lee

Tennessee

Editor’s Note: The following contains graphic imagery that is sexual in nature. Viewer discretion is advised. 
Have you heard about this &#8220;all ages&#8221; drag queen Christmas show that is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-65-twitter-s-collusion-with-the-pentagon-to-create-fake-accounts-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently on a national tour</a>?
It could be coming to a city near you — it has 36 shows in 18 different states, as well as the District of Columbia. In this show, you and your kids are allowed to see acts named &#8220;Screwdolph the Red-nippled Reindeer&#8221; and Crystal Methyd — a character who has peppermint candies for breasts.
Does that get you in the Christmas spirit? 
Maybe if you&#8217;re a Leftist reading this, you think it is totally appropriate. That&#8217;s because Leftists have demented minds.
For them, it&#8217;s perfectly normal that there are men who want to dress up like women and dance in front of children.
What exactly goes on at this sort of show?
Well, in <a href="https://texasscorecard.com/austin/graphic-undercover-reporter-documents-shocking-all-ages-drag-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one instance in Austin, Texas,</a> a performer paraded around with “tits in a box” and then he &#8220;shook his buttocks&#8221; for the crowd. At one point a drag queen named &#8220;Jimbo the Drag Clown&#8221; said to a child in the audience, saying, “Hello, you’re reaching for my titties. Are you hungry?&#8221;  
At another point, &#8220;Screwdolph The Red-Nippled Reindeer&#8221; gets spanked because that&#8217;s their idea of celebrating Christmas. They simulate sex on stage. They sexualize children&#8217;s stories, including Santa, and they have sex videos that play in the background.
Do you think I am making this up?  Here&#8217;s TayerUSA on Tucker Carlson Tonight who recorded these perverted videos as a journalist and reported on the story: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/TaylerUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TaylerUSA</a> Joins Tucker Carlson Tonight To Discuss His Footage Exposing The Disturbing &quot;All Ages&quot; Drag Queen Christmas Show
Tayler: &quot;These children are being groomed by adults.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/m70Q3ka81n">pic.twitter.com/m70Q3ka81n</a>
&mdash; The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbiaBugle/status/1605022703005536256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Here&#8217;s more, but it is very graphic — and again this is supposed to be for children:
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Scenes from the all-ages &quot;family friendly&quot; Drag Queen Christmas Tour. I hate to sound like a far-right extremist bigot but we just not do this in front of kids please? <a href="https://t.co/CrCRGgkKMb">pic.twitter.com/CrCRGgkKMb</a>
&mdash; Leo Kearse &#8211; comedian &#8211; come to my shows! (@LeoKearse) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoKearse/status/1605103768403673088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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So, the drag show for Christmas celebrates half-naked men — dressed as women — dancing in front of children while also simulating sex on stage. 
Meanwhile, adults are laughing along and applauding. Every adult there should be reported to the authorities. 
This is an utter perversion being pushed as &#8216;progress.&#8217; It makes me sick. When I first saw this video, one disturbing thing is that people are trying to act like this is all something that is natural, decent, or beneficial for children.
None of this is natural. Pushing sexualized images onto children is not natural or normal. It is all indecent.
Where is the shame for any of the &#8216;grownups&#8217; involved in this &#8220;all ages&#8221; drag show?
Before the show, I was explaining to my crew a time when I felt indecent in front of my mother-in-law. I didn&#8217;t expect to see her. But, when I did, I was wearing high-waisted leather pants and a long-sleeved top. There&#8217;s nothing specifically wrong with that outfit — everything was covered from head to toe. 
Yet I died on the inside. Those are not the sort of pants I want to wear in front of my mother-in-law. They&#8217;re just a little bit sexy — not the sort of impression I want to give to her. I would have been in a sack if I had known that she was going to pop by that day.
There&#8217;s a level of respect needed when you&#8217;re around elders, family, or children. Clothing that you would wear out to go to a bar or with your girlfriends — you don&#8217;t put those outfits on when you&#8217;re going to go babysit or to a family gathering. You don&#8217;t want to expose children to outfits that aren&#8217;t age-appropriate or embarrass those who deserve honor.
Ultimately, it is about decency.
Those two situations aren&#8217;t exactly comparable — because my accidentally wearing leather pants in front of my husband&#8217;s mother pales in comparison to grown men acting lewdly in front of children with their parents laughing and cheering it on — but the larger point is that we as a culture are losing our idea of respect and modesty.
When you say as a society that we actually have no standards of respect and decency and we&#8217;re going to mock those who care about protecting childhood innocence and keeping crudeness out of our culture — then it is not going to end well. It&#8217;s not going to end well whatsoever. 
This increased sexualization of children needs to stop.

Candace_516x9 copy 26

The ‘All Ages’ Christmas Drag Show Is Demented And Perverted

Candace Owens

Readers Pass

sexual content

Transgender

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kids and parents filled one of America’s oldest continuously operating children’s theatres last weekend for a professional performance of the classic “The Wizard of Oz” — only this showing of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-im-saving-the-childrens-book-genre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">children’s fantasy</a> contained a spin: a man in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag</a>.
As play-goers waited patiently for the performance to start, young children voiced their excitement, especially about seeing the Wicked Witch of the West on stage.
 “I heard she flies on a broom,” one girl excitedly told her mother moments before the play began.
To the audience’s delight, the Wicked Witch soon appeared on stage, dressed in green with a broom in hand, but this Wicked Witch wasn’t the conventional character seen in the beloved children’s story. At the Nashville Children’s Theatre (NCT), the Wicked Witch was played by a drag-obsessed male actor in a dress, and some parents were not entertained.
“I never once ever thought, ‘You know what, maybe I should prescreen this play before I take my children to a children’s theatre,’” Kelley Judd, a Nashville-area homeschool mom, told The Daily Wire after she attended a previous showing of NCT’s “The Wizard of Oz.”
Judd explained that the children around her in the audience, including her daughter, reacted immediately after actor James Rudolph appeared on stage for the first time. “That’s a man! That’s a man!” they shouted.
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Executive Artistic Director Ernie Nolan — an award-winning playwright, director, and choreographer — cast James Rudolph as the Wicked Witch for the play geared toward elementary school audiences, telling The Daily Wire that Rudolph was the best fit for the role.
“We cast what we felt was the best actor in a role for our play. We had someone who we thought could do a fantastic job, he’s a fantastic actor, and we cast an actor in a role,” Nolan said.
Rudolph wore a form-fitting green dress, stilettos, and matching lipstick throughout the play, and some parents were appalled at what they saw as a push to normalize drag at a children’s theatre.
Nolan pushed back on any suspicions that NCT had a political agenda in its “Wizard of Oz” performance. He referenced British pantomime, ballet, and opera that “are presented to young people that use gender-blind casting.”
“We made our decision based on theatrical tradition and theatricality for the world that we had. That’s really what we were focused on at the time we were creating our play,” Nolan added.
Rudolph has been a professional performer for 15 years, according to his bio on the NCT <a href="https://www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org/teaching-artists-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> complete with “he/him” pronouns next to his name. The actor is also a teaching artist at NCT, helping young children explore acting at the theatre’s drama school that offers in-person day-long camps throughout the year. 
But what’s not advertised under Rudolph’s bio on NCT’s website is that he also hosts a profanity-laced podcast called “Gettin’ 2 The Drag,” a “drag queen read-view show” that Rudolph and two other hosts dedicate to analyzing “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The <a href="https://anchor.fm/gt2drag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">description</a> for the show’s latest episode reads, “60&#8217;s girl group challenge got us feeling supreme. Join the gang as they review RuPaul&#8217;s Drag Race, Season 14, Episode 8!”
The play&#8217;s director informed The Daily Wire that Rudolph hosting a drag queen podcast “didn’t have any influence” over his decision to cast Rudolph as the Wicked Witch. But casting a man in a dress isn’t the only way NCT has pushed boundaries on gender and sexuality.
A quick read through NCT’s drama school <a href="https://www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org/nct-drama-school">web page</a> reveals that the children’s theatre has fully bought into radical gender theory. NCT dedicates over 600 words on its website to “LGBTQ+ Support,” which states that “Students are allowed to use the bathroom that best matches their gender identity.”
NCT also says students may change their preferred pronouns or name during class sessions, and the theatre promises not to inform parents if their child uses a different gender identity if the parents don’t know or approve of their child making that decision.
“[I]f a student confides in us that they are not ‘out’ at home, we will protect a student’s confidentiality and use the names and pronouns that were listed on the student’s registration when communicating to grown-ups, but use the preferred names and pronouns during class/camp,” the <a href="https://www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org/nct-drama-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> states.
The performance was one of many showings of Dorothy and her fun-loving dog Toto running from November 17 through December 23 at the downtown Nashville theatre that has been in operation since 1931. Judd, who attended the play with a group called the Nashville Homeschool Calendar, praised the theatre for its past showings of classic plays for children that the homeschool group always looked forward to.
Nashville Homeschool Calendar leader Jennifer Chavez organizes the group’s field trips, and she also had high praise for the theatre’s past plays, but after hearing from parents like Judd who attended the performance, Chavez had other thoughts on NCT.
“Nashville Children’s Theatre is a location we have been going to for 10-plus years,” Chavez told The Daily Wire. “Over the last several years, they’ve started to get a little more liberal, but not to the extent of what happened at ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”
Chavez added that she’s heartbroken that NCT appears to be moving in a direction that normalizes radical gender theory, even in plays aimed at young children. The Nashville Homeschool Calendar planned on attending two more shows in the spring of 2023, but the group pulled their tickets after attending “The Wizard of Oz.”
“It’s very sad because for so long we couldn’t go with COVID, and it’s always been just a really well-loved fun location. They’ve done really great shows. Most of the time, they’re literature-based, and they’re just good, clean, and pure shows for our youth, and as time goes on, those things just seem to be harder and harder to find,” Chavez remarked.
The Nashville Homeschool Calendar said it will not be sending groups to the theatre after attending “The Wizard of Oz.” Judd said she called the theatre after seeing the performance and voiced her concerns, but she was disappointed with NCT’s response.
“I felt like my opinion was falling on deaf ears because they didn’t care,” she commented. “It was almost as if [they said] ‘haha got you.’ That’s how I felt.”

Wicked Witch

One Of America’s Longest-Running Children’s Theatres Casts Drag-Obsessed Man As Wicked Witch

Nashville

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Marti G. Cummings, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag queen</a> whom President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> invited to attend the signing of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/respect-for-marriage-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Respect for Marriage Act</a> at the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a>, once performed for a 2-year-old boy.
Administration officials invited hundreds of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a> activists to the White House on Tuesday as the commander-in-chief signed the legislation, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-controlled-house-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill-39-republicans-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enshrines same-sex marriage</a> protections into federal law in accordance with the Supreme Court’s opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges. Cummings, who shared a picture of his invitation on social media and said he was “grateful” to receive the overture, has a long history of activism, according to a <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/12/12/children-are-such-judgment-free-beings-drag-performer-touts-white-house-invite-to-respect-for-marriage-act-signing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Daily Signal.
One <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0FmzrLHg7o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> of Cummings singing the children’s song “Baby Shark” to a toddler went viral three years ago. Footage showed Cummings, donned in a wig, high-heeled boots, and a leotard tightly hugging his genitals, clapping along with the tune, at one point spinning onto a long table and briefly drawing attention to his nether regions. A man who appeared to be the boy’s father was smiling, bouncing the child on his knees, and recording the interaction while grinning from ear to ear.
“It was just a very quick kind of organic moment during the performance. He was so sweet, and he gave me a dollar,” Cummings told Inside Edition. “Obviously going to like a late-night drag show is not appropriate for a kid, but a family-friendly drag brunch is totally cool.”
Libs of TikTok recently shared a tweet from Cummings, posted earlier this year, in which Cummings said that “the kids are out to sing and suck d!” The tweet came in response to another user who seemed to be suggesting in a post that the crowd at a New York City gay bar was younger than on a typical night.
The activist subsequently deleted the post, blocked Libs of TikTok, and set his account to private.
Cummings recently mounted an <a href="https://twitter.com/MartiGCummings/status/1411337557653307392" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unsuccessful campaign</a> for the New York City Council, remarking in the magazine Out that he  <a href="https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/2019/9/05/meet-drag-queen-running-new-york-city-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">desires</a> to “not only be a drag queen who’s funny, silly, and entertaining, but somebody who took that platform and used it for something bigger.” Cummings also conducts activism on behalf of the “queer youth population” in New York City.
“I also think we need young people at the table. We need new, fresh voices,” he told the outlet. “We have a lot of queer elected officials now, but we need really, really progressive queer candidates. We need candidates who are going to take us to that next level. New York politics for a long time has been dynasty politics, and we should bring some new people to the table because politics should be open to everybody.”
The signing of the Respect for Marriage Act was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-invites-drag-queen-to-attend-bill-signing-at-the-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">witnessed</a> by thousands of people on the South Lawn of the White House; the ceremony featured music from “nonbinary” singer Sam Smith and musician Cyndi Lauper. Biden invited several drag queens to attend the ceremony.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) remarked in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee/status/1593000633954865153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1593000633954865153%7Ctwgr%5E25353db1d07f622a0ebb595d228af91f6e7c8813%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate-advances-same-sex-marriage-bill-with-some-gop-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that he voted against a motion to advance the bill because its “religious liberty protections” were “severely anemic and largely illusory.” Biden nevertheless <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/08/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-bipartisan-house-passage-of-the-respect-for-marriage-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> the final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, saying that “millions of marriages and families” have been put at ease following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and other previous opinions purporting a constitutional right to abortion.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include additional context.

Hetrick-Martin Institute’s 30th Annual Emery Awards: Help Me Imagine

Drag Queen Invited To Biden White House Once Performed For A 2-Year-Old Boy

Biden Administration

Executive

Respect for Marriage Act

White House

President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> invited <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag queen</a> Marti G. Cummings to attend the signing of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/respect-for-marriage-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Respect for Marriage Act</a> at the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a>.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have greenlit the legislation, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-controlled-house-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill-39-republicans-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enshrines same-sex marriage</a> protections into federal law in accordance with the Supreme Court’s opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges. Democratic lawmakers recruited 39 Republicans in the lower chamber and 10 in the upper chamber to support the bill, which is expected to be signed into law on Tuesday.
Cummings shared a screenshot of the White House invitation on social media and expressed thankfulness toward the Biden administration.
“To be a non-binary drag artist invited to the White House is something I never imagined would happen,” the drag queen <a href="https://twitter.com/MartiGCummings/status/1602335170706669575" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “Grateful doesn’t begin to express the emotions I feel.”
Cummings recently mounted an <a href="https://twitter.com/MartiGCummings/status/1411337557653307392" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unsuccessful campaign</a> for the New York City Council, remarking in the magazine Out that he <a href="https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/2019/9/05/meet-drag-queen-running-new-york-city-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">desires</a> to “not only be a drag queen who&#8217;s funny, silly, and entertaining, but somebody who took that platform and used it for something bigger.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) remarked in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee/status/1593000633954865153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1593000633954865153%7Ctwgr%5E25353db1d07f622a0ebb595d228af91f6e7c8813%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate-advances-same-sex-marriage-bill-with-some-gop-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that he voted against a motion to advance the bill because its “religious liberty protections” were “severely anemic and largely illusory.” The lawmaker had expressed concern that religious individuals and organizations could be exposed to litigation and the loss of nonprofit status under the new law.
Biden nevertheless <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/08/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-bipartisan-house-passage-of-the-respect-for-marriage-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> the final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, saying that “millions of marriages and families” have been put at ease following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and other previous opinions purporting a constitutional right to abortion.
“On this day, Jill and I are thinking of the courageous couples and fiercely committed advocates who have fought for decades to secure nationwide marriage equality at the Supreme Court and in Congress,” he said. “While we are one step closer on our long journey to build a more perfect union, we must never stop fighting for full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans and all Americans.”
Cummings also conducts activism on behalf of the “queer youth population” in New York City, according to Out. “I also think we need young people at the table. We need new, fresh voices,” Cummings continued. “We have a lot of queer elected officials now, but we need really, really progressive queer candidates. We need candidates who are going to take us to that next level. New York politics for a long time has been dynasty politics, and we should bring some new people to the table because politics should be open to everybody.”
Biden recently made waves by inviting Dylan Mulvaney, a biological man who identifies as a transgender woman, to the White House to discuss transgender issues.

“Drag Kids” – NewFest Film Festival

Biden Invites Drag Queen To Attend Bill Signing At The White House

Biden Invites Drag Queen Marti G. Cummings To Attend White House Ceremony

Same-Sex Marriage

A drag queen story hour for children held inside the New York Public Library on Saturday night resulted in authorities arresting a man for shoving an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nypd">NYPD</a> detective monitoring the situation after clashing with several protestors boycotting the event.
Local independent media captured 28-year-old Chase Catapano of Manhattan shouting obscenities and making insulting gestures at a group of protesters known as the Guardians of Divinity inside the Midtown branch of the second-largest public library in the United States, which hosted the &#8220;Drag Story Hour&#8221; for children between the ages of three and nine years old.
&#8220;Get the f*** outta here! You&#8217;re a f***ing disgrace,&#8221; Catapano repeated a few times while ripping one of the male protestor&#8217;s signs that read &#8220;&#8216;leave our kids alone&#8221; from his hands before throwing the property back toward the crowd and walking in the opposite direction.
The crowd followed Catapano.
&#8220;Go ahead,&#8221; one protestor responded. &#8220;Take the first shot.&#8221;
At that point, the large plain-clothed New York Police Department detective intervened, pressing his hand against the small-statured agitator in the middle of the crowd of demonstrators.
Catapano quickly pushed the detective&#8217;s hand from him.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t give a f*** who you are,&#8221; Catapano can be heard saying in the video.
&#8220;You better watch who you&#8217;re touching,&#8221; one protestor said. &#8220;He&#8217;s an officer.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s an officer fool!&#8221; another protestor added.
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A man was arrested for assaulting a police officer at New York Public Library in Manhattan during a protest after a heated argument with protesters over Drag Story Hour <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/news?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#news</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nypd?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nypd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nyc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nyc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Police?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Police</a> <a href="https://t.co/THSruI27l1">pic.twitter.com/THSruI27l1</a>
&mdash; NJEG Media (@NJEGmedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NJEGmedia/status/1601701586731823104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Drag queen story hour events have recently popped up n bookstores and libraries nationwide, drawing staunch criticism from parents and protestors.
The Daily Mail <a href="https://archive.ph/LAhEj#selection-2925.207-2925.242">reported</a> parents and library staffers were huddled around the drag queens with objects barring the doors shut to keep the event space private, which was described to children as a &#8220;trans and gender non-conforming rainbow unicorn princex.&#8221;
Staffers wrote the event was to &#8220;celebrate gender diversity and all forms of difference to build empathy and give kids the confidence to express themselves, however they feel comfortable.&#8221;
Video footage showed one member of the Guardians of Divinity saying he was proud of shutting down the Drag Story Hour event early.
&#8220;They&#8217;re using our taxpayer dollars to fund this,&#8221; the unnamed man said, according to NJEG Media. &#8220;As taxpayers, we have a right to say where our money goes — this is a public library. We went in there, and we protest at the drag story, and we shut it down early,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It was a big success.&#8221;
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A protester speaks about why they are trying to shut down Drag Queen Story Hour at New York Public Library. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYC</a> <a href="https://t.co/DfOKmAeZI8">pic.twitter.com/DfOKmAeZI8</a>
&mdash; NJEG Media (@NJEGmedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NJEGmedia/status/1601730648678756352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Police reported that Catapano was not attending the drag queen event or involved with the protestors.
Catapano appeared later in the video, struggling with officers arresting him in a stairwell until authorities put him in handcuffs and escorted him out of the building.
The Daily Mail reported police said Catapano faces charges of disorderly conduct, harassment, attempted assault, and obstructing governmental administration for attacking the on-duty officer.
Before Saturday&#8217;s run-in with law enforcement, the Daily Mail reported Catapano was cited for criminal contempt in the second degree after apparently disobeying a court order barring him from a property in Staten Island in 2018. Two years later, authorities arrested him again in Long Island for misdemeanor aggravated harassment.
Catapano has not received a court date yet.

public library in New York

NYPD Arrest Man Assaulting Undercover Cop After Altercation With Drag Queen Story Hour Protestors

Manhattan Man Arrested After Assaulting Undercover Cop During Altercation With Drag Queen Story Hour Protestors

New York City

As “Drag Queen Story Hour” events sweep the nation, two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christianity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ministers</a> are exhorting fellow Christian men to bring “Pastor Story Hour” to their local public libraries.
The promotion of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a> movement among children, often through graphic strip teases and sexually explicit curricula in government schools, has recently been the center of political and social controversy. Dale Partridge of Prescott, Arizona, and Michael Foster of Batavia, Ohio, invited members of their communities to discover biblical teachings about God’s design for gender and encouraged other believers to do the same.
“Why are drag queens seemingly more interested in influencing the children in their community than pastors? Why are the lost more committed to the systematic and cultural evangelization of the public than American Christians are to evangelizing the gospel?” Partridge, who leads the digital ministry Relearn.org, commented in an interview with The Daily Wire. “These are hard questions the church needs to face. Christians need to see that Christianity is a totalizing faith, which means Christ should not be reserved only for church life, but should saturate and permeate our entire lives.”
Partridge said that between 15 and 20 children, as well as a handful of mothers and fathers, attended his Pastor Story Hour <a href="https://yavapai.events/event/family-bible-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">event</a> at the Cottonwood Public Library in Arizona. He read from “Jesus and My Gender,” a children’s book he authored to teach a positive view of biblical boyhood and girlhood to young readers. According to Partridge, staff at the library asked him to change the event’s name from “Pastor Story Time for Kids” to “Family Bible Story Hour” and placed the event in the adult section rather than the children’s wing.
“Historically, Christian fathers took up the mantle of child discipleship,” Partridge added. “Fathers and mothers are to raise their children to understand what the Bible says about God, man, Christ, and the church. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Christian men have abdicated this role, leaving children vulnerable to the influence and lies of the culture. Namely, fathers don&#8217;t realize that if they don&#8217;t teach their children who they are, the world will.”
Partridge noted that viral speeches rebuking ideologically driven school boards are usually <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-county-mom-to-school-board-my-6-year-old-daughter-asked-me-if-she-was-born-evil-because-she-was-a-white-person" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivered by mothers</a>. One notable exception is a successful campaign predominantly led by Muslim fathers to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-school-district-removes-pornographic-books-after-muslim-community-outrage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remove pornographic books</a> from public school libraries in Michigan.
Foster, the senior pastor of East River Church, hosted an event at Clermont County Library with roughly 35 children in attendance, and said during an interview with The Daily Wire that the librarians were hospitable. “We are a fatherless nation and nature abhors a vacuum. Someone is going to fill that space in our nation,” he remarked. “I can let it be some disturbed men in lingerie or it can be a pastor like me. So I stepped up. Men, especially pastors, are called to be community leaders. Talk is cheap. I got a room, set a date, and made a Facebook event. It was easy.”
Observing that “Satan&#8217;s plan is for men to be boys, women to be men, and children to be unwanted,” Partridge said that LGBTQ activists may know “the value of catechism” even more than Christians. “They understand that children are malleable and impressionable, and instead of upholding and nurturing the historic, logical, biological, and scientific view of sexuality and gender, they exploit these children&#8217;s innocence to support their crooked political aspirations.”
Drag queen events targeted at children have more recently migrated from public libraries to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oregon-bar-to-have-child-drag-queen-perform-this-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gay bars</a> in a number of viral instances. Lawmakers in Tennessee are currently advancing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-moves-to-protect-children-from-sexualized-drag-queen-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> that would prohibit “adult cabaret performers” from holding shows which could be seen by minors.

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‘Pastor Story Hour’: Ministers Take Bible-Based Picture Books To Local Libraries Amid ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ Craze

Ministers Take Bible-Based Picture Books To Local Libraries Amid ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ Craze

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