In response to criticism from some Republicans, the Biden administration has ordered U.S. military bases to cease hosting drag shows, a move consistent with a broader conservative-led effort targeting LGBTQ+ events.
U.S' Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, in a statement on Thursday, deemed hosting drag shows “inconsistent with regulations regarding the use of (Defense Department) resources.”
The directive resulted in the cancellation of at least one event at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, which was originally scheduled as part of Pride Month. The organizers conveyed the cancellation through a Facebook post, as reported by Fox News.
While Singh's statement did not directly address LGBTQ+ rights, she expressed that the Defense Department is “proud to serve alongside any and every young American who takes the oath that puts their life on the line in defence of our country.”
Republican Representative Matt Gaetz, a vocal critic of top Pentagon leaders, celebrated the decision on Twitter, considering it a “HUGE VICTORY!” He emphasized that drag shows should not be funded with taxpayer dollars on military installations.
Drag shows, characterized by entertainers dressing and acting as a different gender, are often associated with Pride events and can involve drag queens reading books to children. Advocates argue that these shows celebrate diversity and promote acceptance, while opponents claim they attempt to “sexualize” children. Recent months have witnessed a wave of bills in several Republican-led states seeking to ban or restrict such performances.
Nellis Air Force Base had previously hosted drag shows, with approximately 180 attendees at a similar event in 2021, according to the military-focused publication Task and Purpose.
The decision to cancel the drag show prompted criticism from the Human Rights Campaign, a group advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, directed at Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The group stated that Austin, who has previously supported LGBTQ+ Americans serving in the military, chose to side with “the politics of fear and discrimination peddled by extreme members of Congress” instead of standing up for the community on the first day of their ‘Pride'.
