MMA fighters in the United States have vowed to step in and protect Drag Queens working during a Drag Brunch Show following threats of protests from anti-LGBTQ+ groups.
The Drag Brunch Show, scheduled to be held at Primantis Bros. restaurant in West Virginia, was cancelled by organisers after they received threats of protest and “legal threats” towards the restaurant, entertainers, and patrons.
The nearly sold-out event, which not only supported the LGBTQ+ community but also gave many in the local community a safe space to be themselves, soon found support from MMA fighters who volunteered to be security should the event be rescheduled.
“I’m sure we can make sure the event stays safe,” explained Ohio Valley MMA owner Johnny Haught via Facebook, offering up his and his fighter’s security services.
“Any kind of expression and freedom … Plus, drag shows are some of the most fun shows ever,” Haught told PinkNews.
Following his offer for assistance at future events, Haught says ignorance is the leading motivator in the anti-LGBTQ+ movement.
“The people fighting against drag shows have never been to a drag show. They have no frame of reference for what it is. They do not get that it is just a performance of an art form,” he adds.
This latest Cancellation follows a growing trend of Anti-Drag protests across the United States, including in 2019, when protests occurred outside a library in Spokane, Washington, where drag queens were scheduled to read to children as part of a “Drag Queen Story Hour” event. Similar protests have occurred in other cities, including Lafayette, Louisiana, and Leander, Texas.
