This ridiculous and hateful ban on drag
Hello beautiful people. Today I am fucking pissed off. In case you haven’t heard, the lovely governor of Texas, The Lady Gregory Abbott of the House of Persnickety Bitches, recently signed a bill making drag performances illegal unless that drag queen or show is in an 18-and-over club.
The law allegedly aims to put an end to all sexually explicit performances that happen anywhere that someone under the age of 18 might see those performances.
And if that was what the bill was really about, we could all back it.
But that is not the purpose at all. What it really is is a direct attack on our community.
Under the language of the law, “sexual conduct” is defined as the exhibition or representation, whether actual or simulated, of sexual acts, genitals, devices designed to stimulate genitals, breasts or buttocks, or “sexual gesticulations using accessories or prosthetics that exaggerate male or female sexual characteristics.”
This could mean that performers wearing padded bras or prosthetic breasts could be found in violation of the law.
So, just being in drag is considered a sexual act.
That is fucking stupid and very confusing.
Does that mean drag queens cannot be on a float in the Pride parade? It absolutely means an end to Drag Queen Story Time at libraries or museums — something I have done many times and that I love to do.
I thought our country was built on freedom of speech. Why are we going backwards? It is so frustrating.
Here is an easy fix: If you don’t like something, don’t go. If you don’t want your kid to see a drag queen read a book, then don’t take them. That is your right, but don’t tell other parents what is right for their child. We all remember how well the far right freaked the fuck out when schools told parents their child had to wear a mask to school, right?
I am so sick of the pick-and-choose politics. They love to take rights away from other people, but hey — let their rights be called into question, and it is suddenly an attack on religion.
I am furious every time I hear someone say anything about God and politics. What happened to the separation of church and state? Stop making up things to be pissed about.
In my opinion, they are just deflecting. If you actually cared about keeping kids safe, y’all would do something about gun control. But, when you mention gun control, they immediately say, “No, no, no, look over here! Drag queens are trying to groom our kids to be gay or trans.”
Gun control — “Look over here! Somethin’ shiny and new to be fake pissed about!”
A Pride parade with no drag queens — I cannot even imagine. Will I be arrested if I am in drag in the parking lot of our clubs or if, God forbid, I need to stop and get gas on the way to a booking — all because I am wearing pads? How far will the police go to get us and our deviant behavior of just existing.
I am furious, and I am sad.
We are losing rights all the time, and it horrifies me. Was The Handmaid’s Tale a documentary?
I am not a conspiracy theorist, but I have a very strong opinion on what is happening in America right now. Have you watched the docuseries on Amazon Prime called Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets? It is eye-opening and very disturbing. Of course, the molestation and child abuse is completely F-ed up, but the other thing that got me was how these large Christian home-schooled families are “grooming” their kids to go into politics so they can vote against anything they see as anti-Christian.
It is a plan that they put into place years ago, and we are living through it now. It is called the Joshua generation. They are pushing their agenda and playing the long game.
If we don’t mobilize our communities and make sure we all vote, we are all fucked. They won’t stop with drag queens and trans performers; they will come for our right to marry. Hell, they’ll come for our right to even just exist.
There are scary times ahead, but we have to keep fighting and make sure we are heard.
I apologize if this has gotten a little preachy or soap-boxish, but this is what is on my mind and how I feel.
Still, I would like to end this on a positive: During Pride Month I did what will probably be my last, Drag Queen Story Time. It was a wonderful and beautiful event. There were maybe 12 kids and about 35 adults. I read a beautiful book called Julian is a Mermaid and a few other books about liking yourself and being nice to people.
When it was over, I was filled with pride and truly felt like I had made a difference in the lives of these beautiful young people and their parents. I know those kids will grow up with more open hearts and open minds, and they will lead with kindness. It was a great day.
Yesterday I received an email from the lady that booked me for the event. She wanted me to see a few of the posts that she saw after their Pride Night. One in particular really meant a lot to me. It said, “This was an amazing event. I was at the children’s story hour, and the books were about peace, loving themselves and mermaids. They were asked, ‘What do you like about yourself?’ and ‘What did you learn today?’ They shared funny stories and left feeling 10 feet tall.”
That simple post made me feel 10 feet tall as well. I am totally smiling now.
Remember to always love more, bitch less and be fabulous. XOXO, Cassie Nova
