Boise’s Pride saw negative attention this year with their Drag Kids event growing controversy and resulting in sponsors pulling out. The Drag Kids event would have consisted of children participating and putting on their own show.
Idahoans were outraged by the event, seeing it as the sexualization of children. Representative Dorthy Moon and the Idaho GOP prompted their constituents to get sponsors to withdraw their support.
While those opposed to the event claim that drag sexualizes children— I just can’t see it. Drag can have sexual or adult themes, but often times it doesn’t. It can be as simple as dressing up in flashy clothes, doing your makeup and performing to songs in front of a crowd.
People will demonize children’s drag as being sexual, while actual children’s beauty pageants, with younger children being scrutinized by adults, continue under the radar.
Not a new tactic to those looking for controversy, the involvement of children has been used to stir up emotions in the public before. What should be about an agenda, is twisted to be presented as concern for children.
In past history, stories of gay men attempting to lure children into public bathrooms have made their rounds, placing unfounded fears in people’s minds.
Despite the reality of the situation, the rumors continue to swirl. A fake poster promoting “adult dancers” and “child tips” has been connected to Boise’s Pride and circulated online.
After receiving negative attention, the event was ultimately canceled out of concern for participants’ safety.
Still, this didn’t stop sponsors from pulling out. The Department of Health and Welfare, Zions Bank and Idaho Power are just some of the sponsors that withdrew, and not necessarily just as a PR move.
Boise Pride Executive Director Donald Williamson tweeted that Idaho Power employees had been facing harassment as opposition grew against the event. Williamson clarified that, before pulling out, employees had been receiving threats through phone and email.
Before this movement against Boise’s Pride, these past few months have seen their fair share of hate towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Back in June, Couer d’Alene’s Pride saw a failed riot organized by members of the Patriot Front, a white nationalist group. Many of the 31 men who were from out of state, suited up with riot gear, ready to begin a conflict.
Nearing the beginning of Pride month, a local Boise preacher called for gay people to be put to death. Pastor Joe Jones from Shield of Faith Baptist Church claimed that with the death of the “queers,” pedophilia would come to an end.
LGBTQ+ individuals are not just seen with disgust but as a threat. Questioning norms and breaking the binary, many fear the changes brought by this growing community.
The waves made around the children’s drag has little to do with concern for the children, but more to do with people’s fear of what they don’t know. As a more conservative state, Idaho’s residents are afraid of the change they are seeing.
Pride events challenge the gender norms that many of us are comfortable with and that many of us rely on to compartmentalize society. As progress is made by the queer community, people are lashing out. But the reality is, they can’t stop it.
An event may have been canceled, and sponsors withdrew, but the fact that the community is being seen is progress in itself. My question to those in opposition is, what are you afraid of?
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq