The hosts of a 'Drag Queen Story Hour' event for children in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday pulled the plug because of what they described as the intimidating presence of right-wing demonstrators.
Armed men protest Holi-drag, an event at the Red Oak Community School where local drag queens read story books, on Dec. 3, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio.Dec. 4, 2022, 3:08 AM UTCThe hosts of a"Drag Queen Story Hour"-style event for children in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday pulled the plug because of what they described as the intimidating presence of right-wing demonstrators.
As some Republican lawmakers and state leaders have sought to limit the rights of transgender people andSome have all but denied the existence of nonbinary people, embraced legislation limiting transgender student participation in sports, decried gender-neutral bathrooms, and made unfounded allegations about connections between transgender people and certain types of crime.
Saturday morning, speaking on the event's stage, framed by holiday decor that included a Christmas tree in the rainbow colors of the pride flag, Red Oak Community School manager Cheryl Ryan made an emotionalShe said that while police acknowledged the event, collaboration was lacking, and some of the participants felt unsafe, despite the planned presence of more than 100 security volunteers who planned to create a human perimeter around the venue.
She said the event sold nearly 1,000 individual tickets, the vast majority going to supporters who had no intention of attending. "Some corners of our political landscape have become increasingly hostile toward LGBTQ people," the center's communications director, Leroy Thomas, said by email."We deserve to be able to express ourselves, share our art, and explore our genders in a safe and welcoming environment that allows us to show up as our whole selves."
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