Late last month, I was surprised to wake up to a surge in text messages: “Girls, you to all councils!” When I opened the link after the link, I came across a surreal series of photos showing the photos Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene leads the Doge Subcommittee hearingand to my surprise, behind her was an oversized portrait of me. I rolled my eyes and dreamed of going back to bed.
As a drag queen reading and writing books for children, this was not certain that I was faced with attacks by politicians and others. My books were challenged, banned, events were protested, my Name and portrait It is used countless times Dishonest attempt to awaken fear about LGBTQ+ peopleIncludes Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, it was the first time I had been directly referred to in the halls of Parliament.
My first thoughts are: At least she chose a gorgeous photo.. Ironically, it was one of my own headshots depicting friendly smiles and sequin stars of red, white and blue. This is in stark contrast to Green’s own scissy face that dominated the press photo of her testimony. My second: It’s funny that Green and other Maga Republicans still don’t know that choosing to fight a drag queen is a bad idea.
Still, Green’s comments weren’t laughing matters: given her long track record Conspiracy theorists and anti-LGBTQ+ CrusadesGreene is not only surprised, spreading slanderous hatred, but also disinformation of honor and loss. She quoted me as a reason Eradicates federal funds for PBS and NPRNPR and PBS “push some of the most radical left positions, just like they’re featuring drag queens in the show Let’s learn. ”
She continued: “[A]The SA mother, who raised three children, was convinced that her child could leave the room while watching the child’s programming on PBS. But… if I walked through the living room or one of the children’s bedrooms and saw this monster targeting this child predator and my child, I’m not glued. ”
Needless to say, calling her already very unadhered name hints at a claim about me that is patently wrong. She’s right that I once appeared on the public television show Let’s Learn. Drag Queen’s waist is swish, swish, swish – Playful parody is intended to encourage children to express their inner wonderful sexuality. But as PBS CEO Paula Kerger revealed, the reality is that The show was produced by local affiliate WNETnot PBS itself.
Furthermore, her rhetoric suggests that LGBTQ-affirming media is a form of “sexualization and grooming… a child of brainwashing and transport.” Like I said Initial response:This rerun is tired and boring. In other words, it’s part of A worn-out playbook that Back decadesAs exemplified by Anita Bryant’s “Saving Children” Campaign 1970s, and Sadly, it has become mainstream in recent years by Republicans..
During the hearing itself, several members of the committee’s Democrats enjoyed themselves on the green. Senator Robert Garcia jokingly asked: “Americans want to know: Was Elmo a member of the Communist Party now? The humorous response from openly gay politicians gets a snap from me. His stupid approach underscores the absurdity of Green’s own question.
But what little lacks from this political circus was the strong defense of a diverse public media. Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher rebutted thoughtfully, but they made no clear claims about the importance of featured diverse voices and stories.
To be clear, I have no shade in any of these public media leaders. Because they were put in a very difficult position. However, it highlights a broader issue. You must do more than respond to false claims. We must actively reconstruct the narrative to assert the diversity of public media and institutions.
I’m loudly proud: Drug performers belong to public television, public libraries, etc.
Of course, drug performers are not the only example of diverse artists belonging to public media and spaces. We are one taste of creativity and brilliance that exists among LGBTQ+, BIPOC, people with disabilities, immigrants, the working class and other historically marginalized and resilient communities. And we all deserve pride in our place on bookshelf, TV shows, curriculum, story hours and more.
It is this spirit that revered scholar Rudin Sims Bishop famously described as a dedicated child’s literature. Window, mirror, sliding glass door. With this beautiful palpor, she acknowledged the need to learn about the world around her, see herself reflected, and step into the story through her imagination. Given that all children (and adults) are intersecting identities, a diverse range of media is needed to provide multiple perspectives. Attempts to suppress such heterogeneity are not only unethical, but also wrong, leaving children with partial stories of the world around them.
As a white, middle class, Jewish, strange, genderqueer person, it was precisely through children’s books and television that I learned about the world. I often had the privilege of seeing communities similar to mine, but I rarely got a glimpse of the strangeness and gender diversity. (still, Let’s look back, Queer authors and characters are always therebut you need to recognize them Line-to-line reading skills. )
Source: BuzzFeed – LGBTQ – www.buzzfeed.com
