A local chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is apologizing after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence-member-arrested-for-masturbating-in-public" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire reported</a> that a former member of its community was arrested last month for masturbating at a beachfront park in California.
Clinton Monroe Ellis-Gilmore, the alleged public masturbator, had been active in the local Eureka, California, chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for years, even attending a drag reading at the public school with the group back in 2018. Ellis-Gilmore appeared to go by several names in the group, including “Novice Sister Bethe Cockhim,” and “Novice Sister Man Romeo,” according to social media posts. 
The Eureka House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence told The Daily Wire on Wednesday that Ellis-Gilmore’s arrest “is an embarrassment and a blight on our name.”
“The Eureka House of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence unreservedly condemns the behavior alleged in police reports,” the group said in a statement sent to The Daily Wire from Sister Marymagnalaid. “To have anyone associated with us accused of such behavior is an embarrassment and a blight on our name.”
The group came under the spotlight earlier this year when it was honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The decision caused an uproar in the community, given the Sisters are known for mocking the Catholic faith.
Police records show Ellis-Gilmore was arrested after multiple witnesses said he was sitting with no pants on and truck door open at Table Bluff County Park, with one leg out the vehicle and the other up on the dashboard while masturbating. One witness told The Daily Wire it was clear Ellis-Gilmore wanted “everyone to see what he’s doing.”
The local chapter says that although Ellis-Gilmore was involved, he was never a full-fledged member of the group. 
“The person arrested was in a probationary process to become a full member at one time but this process ended in October of 2020,” the statement said. “We have a long and complex process for admitting new members to our order and we take every step to be as certain as possible that anyone admitted as a fully-professed member will not bring dishonor to our order.”
The statement added that the group had a disciplinary by which they could kick out members and that full members were mandatory reporters. 
“We offer our most profound apologies to the community for what happened and specifically to any individuals impacted by this inexcusable behavior. It is not representative of our Order, our values, or the hundreds of individuals who serve as Sisters,” the statement said.
Pictures on social media place Ellis-Gilmore at numerous events with the group alongside his husband, Bill Gilmore, who goes by “Saint Gives More.” According to the group, “Saints,” though not members of the “Abby,” <a href="https://www.eurekasisters.org/the-abbey/saints-angels">are</a> “very special people in our community who deserve recognition for their contributions to the community or the Sisters.”
The group said it was “frustrating” that Ellis-Gilmore’s masturbation arrest came as the group was in the national spotlight.
“It is particularly frustrating for us to have to address this accusation of inexcusable behavior at a time when we know many are seeking any way to marginalize and minimize us,” it said. “We would ask our critics to consider whether all the current and former members of their own organizations are without sin before hurling stones at our entire organization based on the alleged behavior of a former member.”
If convicted, Ellis-Gilmore faces six months of prison time, a $1,000 fine, and a requirement to register as a sex offender.

Collage Maker-07-Sep-2023-02-44-PM-1411-2

Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence Go To Confession, Apologize For Public Masturbator

Catholic Church

Crime

Drag Queen story hour

Drag Queens

Social Issues

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california">California</a> mayor is facing backlash after he was filmed being spanked by a drag queen with a paddle at a Democratic fundraising event.
The mayor of Burbank, Konstantine Anthony, was filmed bent over a table and laughing as drag queen Foxxy Roxywood hit his rear end with a paddle at the Santa Clarita Valley Democrats’ Drag Queen Bingo event on Saturday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Konstantine Anthony- the Mayor of Burbank, California, received a spanking from a drag queen in front of children at a Democrat campaign event yesterday.
Full story here! <a href="https://t.co/G6BudDFuGs">https://t.co/G6BudDFuGs</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dxb5bJ9Cuw">pic.twitter.com/Dxb5bJ9Cuw</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1701014340307161531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The video was originally <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxBwKhlPI6Q/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">posted</a> to Instagram by the Wisenuts Podcast and went viral on social media after Libs of TikTok posted the video on X on Sunday.
A poster for the drag queen bingo <a href="https://meaww.com/who-is-konstantine-anthony-outrage-as-video-of-burbank-mayor-being-spanked-by-drag-queen-at-campaign-event-goes-viral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the event stated that the fundraiser was for those 15 and up but was “not suitable for children.” Libs of TikTok claimed there were children at the event.
“Actually, there weren’t any children at this private 21+ event,” Anthony <a href="https://twitter.com/KonstantineinCA/status/1701036143301775534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1701036143301775534%7Ctwgr%5E263c501f516681dc6e6964736c40df376b1a0e3b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcalifornia-mayor-spanked-rages-at-libs-of-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> in a post on X under Libs of TikTok&#8217;s tweet.
“But of course lying is totally on brand for you,” the mayor added.
“So why does the advertisement say 15+?” Libs of TikTok asked.
The mayor responded again that despite the advertising, no minors actually showed up at the event.
&#8220;But you weren&#8217;t there, so you wouldn&#8217;t know. Easier to speculate and lie, right?&#8221; Anthony <a href="https://twitter.com/KonstantineinCA/status/1701056836512928183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>.
&#8220;You lied and you were caught. You lost all credibility. Hope the spanking was worth it bro,&#8221; Libs of TikTok responded again.
&#8220;No children were in attendance,&#8221; Anthony <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-mayor-spanked-by-drag-queen-denies-children-present-at-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News. &#8220;All attendees were over 21 years of age.&#8221;
The mayor also commented &#8220;Jealous?&#8221; on the original Instagram video post.
Anthony is a newlywed who married his wife in July. The two share a young son.
Besides serving as Burbank&#8217;s mayor, Anthony is a former improv comedian and actor who is currently running for Los Angeles County supervisor.
In July, Anthony appeared to downplay graphic sexual content in a controversial book available in some public school libraries.
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Wow. Here’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MayorSpanky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MayorSpanky</a>, the Mayor of Burbank, CA who received a spanking from a drag queen at an event that was open to children- defending books like “Gender Queer” in schools, saying it isn’t sexualized or graphic.
Why does <a href="https://twitter.com/KonstantineinCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KonstantineinCA</a> want kids reading porn in school? <a href="https://t.co/U49EUV4CIN">pic.twitter.com/U49EUV4CIN</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1701433222763024439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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During Anthony&#8217;s July 10 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9jhgHyoPeo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appearance</a> on the WiseNuts podcast, a woman who called into the podcast asked Anthony whether he had read the sexually explicit graphic novel “Gender Queer.” Anthony responded that he had in fact read it.
“Gender Queer” includes pornographic cartoon illustrations of sex between two males with a sex toy, as well as oral sex, masturbation, and other sexually explicit content.
&#8220;You don&#8217;t find that to be sexualized?&#8221; the woman caller asked Anthony.
&#8220;No,&#8221; Anthony responded. &#8220;It&#8217;s not graphic. Come on.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m happy to send you screenshots,&#8221; the woman said.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve seen the screenshots,&#8221; Anthony responded, adding, &#8220;It&#8217;s not porn, oh my God.&#8221;
When the podcast hosts and the caller pressed him on whether &#8220;Gender Queer&#8221; is appropriate for children, Anthony said it is &#8220;appropriate for certain ages&#8221; but eventually clarified that he was &#8220;not okay with&#8221; the book for middle schoolers.
&#8220;Look, you can&#8217;t start banning books,&#8221; Anthony said.
In recent years, curriculum content in public schools has become a hot button issue, with parents showing up to school board meetings to express their disapproval of books like &#8220;Gender Queer&#8221; being available to their children.
Editor&#8217;s Note: A previous version of this article stated that the drag queen bingo event was part of a fundraiser for California state senate candidate Kipp Mueller. The Santa Clarita Valley Democrats say the two events were separate; however, the Santa Clarita Valley Democrats have refused to disclose how the funds raised at the drag show bingo event would be used and whether they will benefit candidates&#8217; campaigns.

Wonder Woman Statue Unveiling With DC And Visit Burbank At The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

California Mayor Spanked By Drag Queen At Democratic Fundraiser

California

An active member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of predominantly gay men who openly mock Catholics, was arrested in California last month for indecent exposure after witnesses say he masturbated in public for an hour, according to a sheriff’s office report obtained by The Daily Wire. 
The man, 53-year-old Clinton Monroe Ellis-Gilmore, was arrested by police at a beachside park after they received a report of a male “exposing himself in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle,” the Humboldt County Sheriff’s department said. 
“According to numerous witnesses, Ellis-Gilmore had been at that location for approximately one hour, sitting in his truck with the door open, masturbating,” according to a sheriff&#8217;s <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Police-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on the incident, which took place on August 12 at around 6:41 p.m. “The conduct does not appear to have been directed at anyone in particular.” 
The arrest took place at Table Bluff County Park in Loleta, California, with over an hour of daylight still left. Google lists the park as “good for kids” and home to “kid-friendly hikes.”
A mugshot obtained by The Daily Wire from Ellis-Gilmore’s <a href="https://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/119781/20230813_BookingSheet">booking</a> indicates that he was at least shirtless at the time of the arrest. The Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence did not respond to a request for comment on Ellis-Gilmore.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-dodgers-will-honor-drag-group-mocking-catholics-sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> earlier this year after the Los Angeles Dodgers decided to honor the group at a “Pride” event. The group makes fun of Christianity and its members are men in traditional nun clothing that frequently use sexually suggestive names. It won the support, however, of many in the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/meet-drag-nuns-caught-culture-war-pride-events-rcna89540">media</a>, which defended the group from critics who said it was a <a href="https://twitter.com/OliLondonTV/status/1661402810112516099?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">perverted hate group</a> and celebrated it for its “dedication to community service.”
Ellis-Gilmore&#8217;s initial arrest was only reported by a local Humboldt County website, The Lost Coast Populist, which <a href="https://lostcoastpopulist.com/sisters-man-arrested-4-indecent-exposure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">located</a> many of his old social media posts and first linked Ellis-Gilmore to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Randy Fleek, a witness who spoke with the arresting deputies, told The Daily Wire that Ellis-Gilmore made no attempt to hide what was going on. He said that Ellis-Gilmore parked two spots away from his trailer and had his left leg out the open door of the truck and right leg up on the dashboard with no pants on, which gave him full side view of Ellis-Gilmore &#8220;playing with himself.&#8221;
&#8220;Well this is f***ed up,&#8221; Fleek said of what he saw. &#8220;It’s obvious. You cannot help but see this guy, he’s not hiding it. He wants everyone to see what he’s doing.&#8221;
He added that cars came and went throughout the hour, including some with young women. He also said that Ellis-Gilmore had his shirt on at the beginning but was naked by the end. He said he was happy when the sheriff deputies arrived, took him out of the truck, and got him dressed.
&#8220;There’s something wrong with that man. He’s got a weird f***ing desire to show off to the public, to anybody that wants to look at him,&#8221; Fleek said. &#8220;He puts himself in a position and in a spot that you can’t help but look at the son of a b***.&#8221;
He described the location as &#8220;popular&#8221; and one where a lot of vehicles come through to look at the ocean which he said made what he witnessed more disturbing. &#8220;People pull in to see the ocean, they don’t pull in to see this. But you can’t help but see,&#8221; he said of Ellis-Gilmore&#8217;s alleged actions. 
Ellis-Gilmore, the alleged public masturbater, has been active in the local Eureka, California, chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for years. Ellis-Gilmore appears to go by several names in the group, including “Novice Sister Bethe Cockhim,” and “Novice Sister Man Romeo,” according to social media posts. 
Pictures on social media place him at numerous events with his husband, Bill Gilmore, who goes by “Saint Gives More” — “Sainthood” in the group is bestowed on only the most dedicated community members. 
Among the Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence events that Ellis-Gilmore participated in was a book reading at an elementary school where a man wearing a mock-nun outfit and Ellis-Gilmore, wearing fake blond braids, a dress, and fishnet tights, read to children.
<div id="attachment_616939" style="width: 193px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-616939" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-616939" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-07-at-3.44.50-PM-183x300.png" alt="" width="183" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-07-at-3.44.50-PM-183x300.png 183w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-07-at-3.44.50-PM-351x576.png 351w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-07-at-3.44.50-PM.png 622w" sizes="(max-width: 183px) 100vw, 183px" />Facebook Screen shot.</div>
“Yesterday sisters had the most magical time reading story books to the Peninsula elementary school kids in recognition of them Studying LGBT awareness month! Thanks for the honor!” a post from October 31, 2018 said. 
The post tagged the Facebook account for “Novice Sister Bethe Cockhim,” an account that appears to be run by Ellis-Gilmore. 
Prior to the event at the school, Ellis-Gilmore and his group had a history of sexually charged posts on social media. One post from the Sisters exhibited two members holding a plastic penis while posts from Ellis-Gilmore showed off his nipple piercing and a cartoon “gay” Smurf illustration that featured erections and pubic hair. 
The event took place at Peninsula Union, a public elementary school in Humboldt County nearby where Ellis-Gilmore was arrested. The school did not respond to a request for comment on the Sisters, and whether it has hosted the group since.
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Ellis-Gilmore’s social media is filled with Satanic and sexual themed posts, including one meme about oral sex featuring a pacifier, a lollipop, an ice cream bar, and a penis with the caption “Shhhhhhhh….it’s ok, you’ve been preparing for this your whole life.” 
Another post features a faux certificate from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence that says “pleasure should be your god, lust your temple, and sex your sacrament&#8221; while another said &#8220;Be gay, hail Satan.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_617403" style="width: 263px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-617403" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-617403" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/IMG_0533-2-253x300.jpg" alt="" width="253" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/IMG_0533-2-253x300.jpg 253w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/IMG_0533-2-486x576.jpg 486w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/IMG_0533-2-768x910.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/IMG_0533-2.jpg 1170w" sizes="(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px" />Facebook screenshot.</div>
Ellis-Gilmore was charged with indecent exposure, a misdemeanor on first offense, which according to California penal code can result in six months of prison time, a $1,000 fine, and a requirement to register as a sex offender.

Collage Maker-07-Sep-2023-02-44-PM-1411

Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence Member Arrested For Masturbating In Public

LGBTQ

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oklahoma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oklahoma&#8217;s</a> top education official said Thursday that an elementary school principal who performs as a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag queen</a> and faced previous child pornography charges should be fired. 
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/oklahoma-official-uimaginable-elementary-school-hired-principal-secret-drag-queen-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News that Western Heights School District should fire John Glenn Elementary School Principal Shane Murnan, a drag queen who reportedly goes by the name &#8220;Shantel Mandalay.” Walters, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-education-teachers-superintendent-walters-c5c55e473eaeb0c94545c8ae5753149a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">campaigned</a> on getting critical theory and gender theory out of the classroom, said that Murnan should be terminated &#8220;immediately.&#8221;
“It&#8217;s outrageous to have a drag queen running a school, you know, here in Oklahoma that doesn&#8217;t line up with Oklahoma values,&#8221; Walters told Fox. &#8220;I hear from parents every day that are concerned with this woke left-wing indoctrination or schools, this gender theory that continues to be thrust upon our kids. It&#8217;s completely inappropriate.&#8221; 
As a drag queen, Murnan has participated in story hours at the public library and worked at Oklahoma City gay bar “The Boom,” according to Facebook posts. 
&#8220;I think that the Left has absolutely an agenda for our kids, that they are at war with our kids in the classroom,&#8221; Walters said. &#8220;What they are doing is injecting this ideology for an end goal here. Their end goal is to absolutely break down a child&#8217;s mind, break down the classroom, break down the family, and you see the results that have come from this. They want kids to turn on their parents and only listen to their leftist ideology.&#8221; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Meet Shane Murnan- elementary principal at <a href="https://twitter.com/wh_isd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wh_isd</a>.
Shane is a drag queen who performs for children and reads books about gender to kids while dressed in drag.
Shane was also previously arrested on child porn charges.
Would you want this person in charge of your kid’s school? <a href="https://t.co/yNuZyt3HRK">pic.twitter.com/yNuZyt3HRK</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1696906000660308341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;No parent wants to send their kids to school knowing that they could be exposed to this radical gender theory in any capacity. This woke war on our kids has to stop,” Walters added. “We will not allow our kids to be part of their radical-Left game for pushing ideology and furthering their end goal, which is creating social justice warriors instead of students that understand how education is a path for success for them.”
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The child pornography charges that Murnan faced back in the early 2000s were reportedly dismissed after a judge ruled that prosecutors could not prove that he had possessed the illicit materials. Court records show that Oklahoma investigators say that they had obtained deleted child pornography images they said were possessed by Murnan, according to The Oklahoman. 
“Defense attorney Frank Muret argued that since Murnan had deleted the images from his computer, the state couldn&#8217;t prove he was in possession of it. Worthington granted the defense&#8217;s motion to dismiss based on that argument,” The Oklahoman <a href="https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/08/14/prosecutors-wont-appeal-porn-ruling/62084184007/">reported</a>. 
The school responded to the re-surfaced charges, saying that they had been dismissed and pointing to the fact that the record of the charges has been expunged.

Wide view of a children’s classroom at the school.

Top Oklahoma Education Official Calls For Drag Queen Elementary School Principal To Be Fired

Child pornography

Education

Oklahoma

U.S.

A federal judge blocked a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> district attorney from enforcing the state’s law shielding children from sexually explicit performances ahead of a “Pride” event after he was sued by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/aclu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Civil Liberties Union</a>. 
The judge’s <a href="https://www.wate.com/news/blount-county-news/district-attorney-blocked-from-enforcing-anti-drag-law-ahead-of-pride-event/#:~:text=U.S.%20District%20Judge%20Ronnie%20Greer,ruled%20unconstitutional%20by%20a%20federal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruling</a> comes after the ACLU filed a lawsuit this week against Blount County DA Ryan Desmond, who sent a letter to Blount County Pride saying that any explicit performances in front of children would not be allowed at a “Pride” event on September 2 just south of Knoxville. Video has emerged from “Pride” events across the country of explicit drag performances with children present and looking on. 
“It is certainly possible that the event in question will not violate any of the criminal statutes,” Desmond <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-aclu-sues-tennessee-district-attorney-who-promises-to-enforce-the-states-new-anti-drag-show-ban/?email=84885943124850418dccfffa5f984fb2b1450cf1&amp;emaila=6cb861e5998d3d6a1ce8452947dee058&amp;emailb=78504d1586e2066c8a05f4b619c2e64c552dbc337ec8d9ba2cb59caa7c91ecac&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Curated%20Evening%20Headlines%202023-08-31&amp;utm_content=evening%20headlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “However if sufficient evidence is presented to this office that these referenced criminal statutes have been violated, our office will ethically and justly prosecute these cases in the interest of justice.”
Desmond had a temporary restraining order placed on him by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer meaning that he is blocked from enforcing Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act. Also part of the suit was Flamy Grant, who has been <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/01/federal-judge-blocks-da-and-police-from-interfering-with-blount-pride/70741487007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">portrayed</a> in the media as a “Christian” drag performer. 
The law has previously been blocked before by a federal judge in Memphis, but could be enforced outside of Shelby County. In late June, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee blocked the law after Friends of George’s, a self-described “LGBTQ theatre company” based in Memphis, filed a suit challenging the law.
Blount County Pride, being represented by the ACLU, claims that Desmond’s letter to the “Pride” group was “a naked attempt to chill free speech.” 
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“Had Defendant Desmond merely wished to notify the public that he intends to enforce the [law], he could have issued a public statement,” the lawsuit states. “Instead, he sent a letter targeting Blount Pride and the drag artists who are scheduled to perform,” the lawsuit from the ACLU said. 
Tennessee’s law has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/18-state-coalition-legal-group-appeal-ruling-that-deemed-tn-law-shielding-kids-from-sexually-explicit-performances-unconstitutional" target="_blank" rel="noopener">been supported</a> by an 18 state coalition and America First Legal in court, who say that the law is necessary to protect children. 
“Protecting children from obscene and lewd behavior is not a new idea. We need to let kids be kids, and the state has legal authority to ensure their protection,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release.

UK – Culture – Gay and lesbian Pride Parade through central London

Tennessee District Attorney Blocked From Enforcing State Law Shielding Kids From Explicit Performances

ACLU

Courts

Politics

Tennessee

A coalition of states and a non-profit legal group separately filed briefs against a district court ruling on Wednesday that purported to block a Tennessee law restricting sexually explicit performances in front of children.
In late June, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee blocked the state’s “Adult Entertainment Act” after Friends of George’s, a self-described “LGBTQ theatre company” based in Memphis, filed a suit challenging the law.
Parker said the law placed an unconstitutional restriction on freedom of speech and was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”
But an eighteen-state coalition and America First Legal group filed amicus briefs asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to overturn the district-court ruling and support Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who immediately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-moves-to-defend-laws-shielding-kids-from-trans-procedures-explicit-performances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appealed</a> the judgment to defend the state law.
“Protecting children from obscene and lewd behavior is not a new idea. We need to let kids be kids, and the state has legal authority to ensure their protection,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_7c888a52-4723-11ee-9273-97c36b3a1f2e.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Center Square.
Wilson led the coalition that also included Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
“I believe the Court wrongly ruled against the law, and I’m happy to lead a coalition of support for the law on appeal.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the law in March that outlawed adult cabaret male or female impersonators from performing “nudity, sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence or sadomasochistic abuse” on public property. However, such “drag shows” could still occur in age-restricted venues under the law.
America First Legal vice president and general counsel Gene Hamilton told The Daily Wire in an emailed statement that the legal group stands with Tennesseeans supporting the law.
“We are proud to stand with our friends in Tennessee in defense of innocent children, and in opposition to erroneous, sweeping court orders that misapply the law based on the urging of radical activists,” Hamilton said.
The legal group argued the district court’s ruling gave Memphis “pride” parade organizers, “drag queens,” and other performers complete freedom to expose children “to harmful sexualized content such as intercourse, masturbation, sado-masochism, and other perverted sex acts.”
“No child should ever be exposed to the conduct at issue in this case — ever — and it is our hope that the Sixth Circuit overturns the injunction in this case,” Hamilton added.

Didi Blue Hart performs in drag during a drag show and story ho

18-State Coalition, Legal Group File Briefs Against Court Ruling That Deemed TN Law Shielding Kids From Sexually Explicit Performances ‘Unconstitutional’

18-State Coalition, Legal Group Appeal Ruling That Deemed TN Law Shielding Kids From Sexually Explicit Performances "Unconstitutional"

Bill Lee

Children

Drag show

Free Speech

Daily Wire host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thats-not-standing-your-ground-matt-walsh-slams-conservatives-praising-ne-yos-reversal-on-gender-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Walsh</a> slammed Fox News as &#8220;disgraceful&#8221; after questioning whether the network asked the eight GOP candidates featured on Wednesday&#8217;s <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6335464873112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican presidential primary debate</a> broadcast about &#8220;child mutilation and gender ideology.&#8221;
Walsh posted a message on <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1694697815161684080?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a> on Thursday saying he had only seen clips of the debate but had not seen anything about &#8220;the biggest cultural issue in the country for multiple years now.&#8221;
&#8220;I am not actually shocked, to be clear,&#8221; he posted. &#8220;Fox is in favor of transing kids so this was to be expected. Still, it&#8217;s disgraceful.&#8221;
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I am not actually shocked, to be clear. Fox is in favor of transing kids so this was to be expected. Still, it’s disgraceful.
&mdash; Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1694698071722950888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ron-desantis-on-the-u-s-border-will-shut-it-down-build-a-wall-end-mass-migration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> was the first candidate at the debate to interject the subject of gender ideology during his answer on education.
&#8220;The decline in education is one of the major reasons our country is in decline,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;We need education in this country, not indoctrination.&#8221;
&#8220;We have to make sure that what our schools are doing, is focusing on solid academics,&#8221; he added. &#8220;In Florida, we eliminated Critical Race Theory from our K through 12 schools, we eliminated gender ideology from our K through 12 schools, and we have elevated the importance of American civics.&#8221;
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-15558">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Fox News&#8217;s Martha MacCallum asked North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum about past comments by former South Carolina Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nikki-haley-calls-out-republicans-on-inflation-defends-israel-aid-in-first-gop-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley,</a> who said, &#8220;Biological boys playing in girls&#8217; sports is the women&#8217;s issue of our time.&#8221;
Burgum replied, &#8220;In North Dakota, we made a priority of protecting women&#8217;s sports. We&#8217;ve done that in our state &#8230; but the idea that every school district and state and every teacher is somehow indoctrinating people is just false.&#8221;
Haley said there are &#8220;a lot of crazy woke things happening in schools &#8230; I will always say, I&#8217;m going to fight for girls all day long because strong girls become strong women. Strong women become strong leaders and biological boys don&#8217;t belong in the locker rooms of any of our girls.&#8221;
Later, South Carolina Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-scott-doubles-down-on-claims-about-florida-curriculum-desantis-and-harris-both-signed-off-on-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Scott</a> interjected, without being asked a question about transgender athletes, &#8220;If God made you a man, you play sports against men.&#8221;
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Tim Scott gets based at the Republican debates: “If God made you a man, you play sports against men”. <a href="https://t.co/BMG2xLHKZd">pic.twitter.com/BMG2xLHKZd</a>
&mdash; Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) <a href="https://twitter.com/MythinformedMKE/status/1694548947589562683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said during his closing statement, &#8220;There are two genders,&#8221; but the Fox News moderators did not ask him about it.

Matt Walsh

Matt Walsh Calls Fox News ‘Disgraceful’ For Failing To Ask About ‘Child Mutilation And Gender Ideology’ At GOP Debate

Matt Walsh Calls Fox News ‘Disgraceful’ For Failing To Ask About 'Child Mutilation And Gender Ideology' At GOP Debate

gender ideology

Media

Ron DeSantis

The Daily Wire

The Matt Walsh Show

Two days after actor Kirk Cameron and former NCAA champion swimmer Riley Gaines announced that they would be appearing at a faith-filled story hour hosted by the conservative political organization Moms for Liberty at the Madison Public Library in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alabama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alabama</a>, the event was abruptly canceled after months of planning.
Citing a capacity limit, the library&#8217;s public relations director Jay Hixon said in a <a href="https://www.hmcpl.org/sites/default/files/images/Moms%20for%20Liberty%20event%20exceeds%20capacity%20for%20Madison%20Public%20Library%208_3_23.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a> that the public space could no longer hold the event after the scope of attendees quickly grew from approximately 30 to 300 following the announcement from conservative influencers Cameron and Gaines, which also sparked threats from protestors about 80 miles south of Madison County.
But Moms for Liberty organizers Emily Jones and Elizabeth Stewart told The Daily Wire they&#8217;re not buying the official narrative from the 200-year-old countywide library system and the Madison City Police Department.
&#8220;It was a directive on how to manage our group and not the protesters,&#8221; Jones, the organization&#8217;s Madison County chapter chair, said. &#8220;To me, that just indicates that [the police chief] is not interested in making this event go well. He wants it to go away.&#8221;
Two months ago, Jones said the grassroots parent group that advocates against school curricula teaching identity politics to children &#8212; including LGBT rights and Critical Race Theory &#8212; received notice from BRAVE Books publishing company looking to hold a story hour event in the southern state during its &#8220;See You at the Library&#8221; national tour taking place in nearly 300 libraries and 45 states across the country.
The event is led by Cameron, star of the 1980s sitcom &#8220;Growing Pains,&#8221; to allow conservative Christian families to meet at public libraries around the country on August 5 as an alternative to controversial children&#8217;s drag queen events, the company said on X.
Cameron and Gaines were not originally scheduled to appear at the Madison County event. But of the many locations booked on the tour, Jones said she received a separate email earlier this week stating that the two national conservative celebrities planned to attend.
&#8220;I freaked out on Elizabeth and shouted and kind of did a happy dance,&#8221; she said.
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The organization and Cameron shared the news on social media, drawing more attention to the event.
&#8220;The response was overwhelming,&#8221; Jones said.
As more people began expressing interest in attending, Jones said the library reached out and asked if the organizers needed additional space to hold a bigger crowd. They initially declined, suggesting holding the event outside. However, after local law enforcement confirmed threats of protests from a group out of Birmingham, they were advised to move the event to a private location. But the organization stayed firm on its position to still hold the event in the public space.
&#8220;This is intended to be at a library and put traditional values back into the library, so we&#8217;re sticking there,&#8221; Jones said.
After several exchanges, the library ultimately said they would no longer support the event out of safety concerns and suggested finding a new location without providing other alternative solutions, including directing library staff to operate on a suggested first-come, first-serve basis.
&#8220;My personal opinion is they really don&#8217;t want this event to happen,&#8221; Stewart, the communications lead for the organization&#8217;s first and largest chapter in North Alabama, said.
Stewart said the group has been monitoring social media accounts on TikTok and Reddit threads of far-left protesters who planned to travel to Madison and hold protests outside the story hour event. Some have indicated they would display banned books in the parking lot, while others suggested they would show up dressed in drag attire in front of the children.
When tour organizers first approached Moms for Liberty to host the children&#8217;s event, Jones said they were reluctant due to other obligations. But after a couple of weeks, she said God put it on her heart to move forward with the event in the wake of drag queen story events popping up nationwide in recent years, including at the <a href="https://www.mymuskokanow.com/92605/news/drag-queen-story-time-a-success-for-huntsville-library/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madison Public Library</a>.
&#8220;We have family-friendly drag shows 20 minutes from my house,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We have kid drag shows, meaning kids are dressing in drag on full display — and I think that God put this in front of us because he hears the cry of our community, our churches, and our leaders to step up and push back on them.&#8221;
&#8220;So I think God did the next best thing and turned to the moms and said, &#8216;Make it happen,'&#8221; she added.
BRAVE Books recently obtained evidence that the taxpayer-funded American Library Association (ALA) has allegedly been guiding libraries nationwide to thwart conservative or Christian parent groups from gathering in public libraries. According to the publishing company, a director with the national association suggested how libraries could block public meeting rooms from events like Cameron&#8217;s tour to use under the pretext of the space already being taken for other activities.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 1/ BREAKING: We have obtained exclusive evidence that the taxpayer-funded American Library Association <a href="https://twitter.com/ALALibrary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ALALibrary</a> is circulating guidance to sabotage conservative or Christian parent groups from gathering in public libraries on August 5th. One ALA director gave suggestions on… <a href="https://t.co/iBqwIChNhJ">pic.twitter.com/iBqwIChNhJ</a>
&mdash; BRAVE BOOKS (@BraveBooksUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BraveBooksUS/status/1673326562035265537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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After the company posted the leaked recordings on social media, Republican Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mike Braun (R-IN) in demanding an investigation into ALA&#8217;s alleged religious discrimination against BRAVE Books.
&#8220;To the contrary, the ALA is advancing a political agenda, not Brave Books. Further, the ALA is doing so while receiving federal funds and actively promoting hotly contested events in public libraries, including &#8216;Drag Queen Story Hours&#8217; – events aimed at having scantily and/or exotically clothed adults read to children with the goal of introducing them to sexualized topics. The ALA has an entire page dedicated to &#8216;Drag Queen Story Hour,&#8217; which includes a program session labeled &#8216;Reading Fabulously,'&#8221; <a href="https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-colleagues-demand-investigation-into-alas-religious-discrimination-against-brave-books" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> the senators.
First Liberty Institute, the law firm representing Cameron and Brave Books, sent a letter to the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., asking the federal agency to &#8220;open an investigation into whether the American Library Association has violated federal law protecting religious liberty and failed to comply with the assurances of nondiscrimination required as a federal grant recipient,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/kirk-cameron-seeks-investigation-of-american-library-association.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Christian Post</a>.
An ALA spokesperson told the outlet, in part, &#8220;Publicly funded libraries are not obligated to provide meeting room space to the public.&#8221;
&#8220;If libraries choose to do so, such spaces are considered designated public forums, and legal precedent holds that libraries may not exclude any group based on the subject matter to be discussed or the ideas for which the group advocates,&#8221; the spokesperson continued, adding the association has been &#8220;very clear that, just like all other policies, library policies regarding meeting rooms should not be prejudicial or discriminatory&#8221; and should follow what it considers &#8220;a reasonable content and viewpoint policy&#8221; that protects library users and staff from &#8220;harassment.&#8221;
&#8220;[R]ather, they must be inclusive and follow a reasonable content and viewpoint policy that benefits all members, as well as &#8216;user behavior policies that protect library users and staff from harassment, while maintaining their historic support for the freedom of speech,'&#8221; the spokesperson said. &#8220;Any statement or suggestion that ALA has advised otherwise is incorrect and intentionally misleading.&#8221;
First Liberty attorney Jeremy Dys, who is representing the Alabama Moms for Liberty chapter, called the cancellation an &#8220;unconstitutional religious discrimination&#8221; in a letter to the Huntsville-Madison County Libraries, adding that if Madison Public Library continues to refuse space for the event, attorneys are &#8220;prepared to vindicate this violation of our client&#8217;s civil rights in court.&#8221;
But for parents nationwide, such as Jones and Stewart, who observe foundational institutions exiling Christian conservatives out of the public square while openly embracing &#8220;evil societal norms&#8221; taking precedence in the United States, they are more encouraged than ever to take their fight on a national level and bring revival back into the communities.
&#8220;This does not go away with one story hour,&#8221; Jones said. &#8220;This is a generational fight for the safety and welfare of our children, and we&#8217;ve got to start taking action.&#8221;

Young boy wearing backpack is anxious about entering library

Alabama Library Cancels Moms for Liberty, Kirk Cameron Faith-Filled Story Hour Event After Hundreds RSVP

Kirk Cameron

Library

Riley Gaines

An LBGTQ center in Ohio partially funded by county taxpayers is holding a monthly session teaching children <a href="https://www.facebook.com/colorsplusyouthcenter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as young as 11</a> the “fundamentals of drag.”
The Colors+ Youth Center, roughly 15 miles from Cleveland, welcomes kids from ages 4 to 17, and <a href="https://www.colorsplus.org/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a> that it is “run by two licensed professional mental health counselors.”
“In collaboration with Drag Queen Story Hour Cleveland, we offer monthly drag tutorials on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 6-7:30pm led by a local drag performer who teaches the fundamentals of drag (makeup, costume design, and performance),&#8221; the Colors+ <a href="https://www.colorsplus.org/drag-tutorials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> proclaims. “Youth are able to creatively express themselves in a safe, affirming, and age appropriate way. Funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.”
The county funding comes from <a href="https://www.cacgrants.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cuyahoga Arts &amp; Culture</a>, which boasts that it is “one of the largest local public funders for arts and culture in the nation, helping hundreds of organizations in Cuyahoga County connect millions of people to cultural experiences each year,” adding, “Cuyahoga Arts &amp; Culture is a strong steward of the public&#8217;s money, investing nearly $12 million annually in organizations that bring arts and culture to life in our communities. Each year we support tens of thousands of <a href="http://www.clevelandartsevents.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arts and culture programs and events</a> that enhance the lives of Cuyahoga County residents.”
In July, the Colors+ Youth Center <a href="https://www.facebook.com/colorsplusyouthcenter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">celebrated</a> the election of one of its board members as President of the Ohio Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (OACES).
“I’m thrilled to share that I have been elected to serve as 2024-25 President of the Ohio Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (OACES)!” the board member stated. “I am looking forward to my three years of service as President-elect (2023-24), President, and Past-President (2025-26) alongside the fantastic folks on the OACES Executive Board.&#8221;
After the Supreme Court landmark decision at the end of June which struck down a Colorado law that would have punished a Christian graphic designer who would not design a website for a same-sex wedding, the Colors+ Youth Center wrote on Facebook, “Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling granting a narrow exemption from nondiscrimination law to a Colorado website design business so that they can deny services to same-sex couples. Denying service to anyone because of who they are is out of step with what the overwhelming majority of Americans, including business owners, believe.”

Drag queen with hand on hip, close-up

Taxpayer-Funded LGBTQ Center Teaches Kids As Young As 11 ‘Fundamentals Of Drag’

Ohio

An amusement park in the United Kingdom said it would no longer participate in Pride events after children witnessed an explicit drag performance by a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/drag-queens-debate-matt-walshs-famous-query-what-is-a-woman-on-tim-pools-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag queen</a> named Crystal.
The owner of Adventure Island in Southend on Sea, Essex, has &#8220;humbly&#8221; apologized to his loyal customers for hiring the performer that left parents &#8220;horrified,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12310799/EXCLUSIVE-Family-theme-park-apologises-drag-queen-act-left-parents-horrified-Boss-confirms-not-future-Pride-celebrations-Ru-Pauls-Drag-Race-UK-star-used-angle-grinder-crotch-show.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a> reported.
In a statement to the outlet, Philip Miller, executive chairman of Adventure Island, said there had been &#8220;confusion&#8221; as to &#8220;what we would allow or not.&#8221;
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Drag queen simulates sex acts in front of children at an “all ages family-friendly” drag show in Essex, UK <a href="https://t.co/XjY8L232ZQ">pic.twitter.com/XjY8L232ZQ</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1681092876313214976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The grinding act was most definitely a nonstarter as we are ostensibly a family park and that is just not family entertainment,&#8221; Miller&#8217;s statement added.
&#8220;Rest assured we will not be rebooking this act or participate in any future PRIDE celebrations it&#8217;s just not for us, we tried to be inclusive but it has backfired on us.&#8221;
The apology comes after footage of an &#8220;all ages family friendly&#8221; drag show on Saturday surfaced online.
The video shows Crystal, who performed on the first season of the BBC&#8217;s Ru Paul&#8217;s Drag Race, scantily clad wearing fishnet tights, a leotard and high heels reportedly &#8220;wielding an angle grinder.&#8221;
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The drag queen, performing to the tune of the Scissor Sisters&#8217; hit Filthy/Gorgeous, can be seen making pelvic thrusting motions with his hips. According to the Daily Mail, Crystal &#8220;ran his hand up and down the angle grinder&#8221; then strikes it against his metal plate fixed to his crotch and made sparks fly.
One mother-of-two told the Daily Mail she loved the place, but would not return after seeing the clip.
&#8220;I won&#8217;t be going back and I won&#8217;t be taking my kids there,&#8221; she reportedly told the outlet.
&#8220;That is a line you don&#8217;t cross,&#8221; she added. &#8220;That tells me everything you need to know about how they value children.&#8221;
The drag queen in the video rejected the idea that his performance was inappropriate, telling the outlet, &#8220;My act is no different to what you might see on Britain&#8217;s Got Talent, from Lady Gaga on MTV, or from a street performer in Covent Garden.&#8221;
&#8220;This is deemed &#8216;sexual&#8217; solely because I was performing in drag,'&#8221; Crystal added, noting it was his third year booked at the park for its Pride events.

Drag Performer

Amusement Park Says It Will No Longer Host Pride Events After Drag Performance ‘Backfired’

Amusement Park Says It Will No Longer Host Pride Events After Drag Performance 'Backfired'

Entertainment

kids

Pride

Sexually explicit

U.K.

World

On Friday, a federal judge nominated to the District Court by former President Bill Clinton blocked the state of Florida from implementing HB 1438, which prohibited an establishment from knowingly admitting minors to “adult live performances,” including drag performances.
“&#8217;Adult live performance&#8217; means any show, exhibition, or other presentation in front of a live audience which, in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or specific sexual activities,” the law <a href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1438/BillText/er/HTML" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states.</a> This includes &#8220;lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts when it: Predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest; is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community of this state as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for the age of the child present; taken as a whole, is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for the age of the child present.”
Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law in May, <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2023/05/17/governor-ron-desantis-signs-sweeping-legislation-to-protect-the-innocence-of-floridas-children/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, “Florida is proud to lead the way in standing up for our children. As the world goes mad, Florida represents a refuge of sanity and a citadel of normalcy.”
But the owners of Hamburger Mary’s Orlando, a drag-themed restaurant, sued Florida, saying the law transgressed their First Amendment rights.
U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell, nominated by Clinton in June 2000, sided with the drag-themed restaurant, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/06/23/desantis-drag-shows-florida-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a> that the law was “dangerously susceptible to standardless, overbroad enforcement” and conflicted with Florida’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights” because the state was in charge of deciding what performances the children could attend instead of the parents.
Presnell reportedly worried that the law was “specifically designed to suppress the speech of drag queen performers,” quoting HB 1438’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Randy Fine, saying it “will protect our children by ending the gateway propaganda to this evil — ‘Drag Queen Story Time.’”
The judge contended that Florida’s obscenity laws protect children from “any constitutionally unprotected obscene exhibitions or shows.”

Rear view of drag queen while putting blond wig

Judge Worries Florida Law Protecting Kids Would ‘Suppress The Speech Of Drag Queen Performers.’ He Blocks It.

Florida

A brewing controversy over a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag</a> performance at an upcoming <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania</a> festival led to a change that would ensure only adults would be allowed at the show.
Yuengling Brewery reportedly faced criticism and calls for a boycott on social media after an advertisement for the drag show mentioned the beer company.
&#8220;Need Your drag fix before our iconic Musikfest Drag Show? Well, the queens return to Musikfest Cafe pres. by Yuengling June 30th,&#8221; said a now-deleted post, <a href="https://www.lehighvalleynews.com/bethlehem/artsquest-changes-age-policy-for-draggin-with-the-divas-performance-after-yuengling-controversy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to LehighValleyNews.com</a>.
The local news outlet said ArtsQuest, a nonprofit organization that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/musikfestcafe/about_details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manages the Musikfest Cafe</a> and is sponsored by Yuengling, responded with an announcement that it would be raising the age requirement for attendees at <a href="https://secure.artsquest.org/Online/seatSelect.asp?createBO::WSmap=1&amp;BOparam::WSmap::loadBestAvailable::performance_ids=C64BB49B-8CAB-4AF7-82D5-9BA4F49CE425" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;The Draggin&#8217; With The Divas&#8221; show in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from 13 to 18</a>.
Yuengling applauded ArtsQuest for changing the age requirement at the drag show set to take place later this month, a move that comes as some GOP-led states have sought to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/musikfestcafe/about_details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keep minors from attending</a> such performances out of concern about sexually explicit content.
&#8220;Yuengling actively promotes responsible drinking for patrons 21 years of age and older,&#8221; the company said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/yuenglingbeer/status/1669831570826338304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;We are working to align with ArtsQuest regarding appropriate age restrictions for venues associated with our sponsorship. We support their decision to restrict attendance to 18+ for the June 30th show.&#8221;
The brouhaha follows another beer brand, Bud Light, facing backlash due to its partnership with self-identified transgender social media influencer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dylan-mulvaney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dylan Mulvaney</a>, leading to calls for a boycott against the beer brand and a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bud-light-sales-decline-dylan-mulvaney-boycott-latest-1803292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drop in sales this year</a>. A similar wave of outrage aimed at Target over the retailer’s <a href="https://corporate.target.com/press/releases/2023/05/Target-Statement-on-2023-Pride-Collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Pride Collection&#8221;</a> followed suit.
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In the case of the &#8220;Draggin’ with the Divas&#8221; show, Yuengling and ArtsQuest both stressed that ArtsQuest independently plans the policies for events at its venues.
Yuengling, based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, said it &#8220;has been a supporter of ArtsQuest for many years, along with over 300 local community supporters. We&#8217;re proud to be part of their efforts to revitalize an industrial neighborhood in Bethlehem, PA.&#8221;
An ArtsQuest spokesperson said the organization &#8220;creates programming that is intended to be inclusive and cross all genres, regardless of beliefs.&#8221; The spokesperson also said ArtsQuest &#8220;will not tolerate hostile activities that may cause divisiveness toward any individual or group.&#8221;

Yuengling

Yuengling Pours One For Drag Show Age Restrictions

Alcohol

Pennsylvania

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