“Drag is joy, but it is under attack. Our very existence, our self-expression, our art – all of it is threatened. And we’ve had enough.”
That’s the opening salvo from Qommittee, a group of drag artists banding together to protect and promote their art form, as they announce their formation ahead of June Pride Month.
“We have always had to fight tooth and nail for our place in this world,” the group said in a press release on Wednesday. “But now we are also fighting a wave of hate – doxxing, harassment, death threats, armed protests, bombings and even shootings.”
Qommittee consists of around 10 drag artists across the country who have directly or indirectly suffered threats, harassment or violence related to their art form. One had a location bombed in Ohio; one performed at Club Q in Colorado Springs and helped victims the night of the shooting that killed five people; and one worked at Club Q and Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, where a shooter killed 49 people in 2016.
Qommittee says she hopes, among other things, to connect drag artists and communities in need of local support with resources, including legal assistance and therapy. It can also help artists and venues navigate the business.
The group is already working to create a dialogue between its members and local law enforcement agencies, organizers said.
“The Qommittee is kind of a central hub for other communities across the country, the performance communities across the country, to find resources to help them, whether it’s negotiating with venues or…helping to defend against the many protests against performance shows. drag that we saw,” said Qommittee president B Williams, a drag king who performs in Washington, D.C., as Blaq Dinamyte.
In recent years, activists and conservative politicians have complained about what they call the “sexualization” or “grooming” of children by drag performers, often through popular drag storytimes in which performers read age-appropriate material to children. , or drag brunches, whose locations often warn customers about material unsuitable for children.
There is no evidence that drag performers harm children. Last week, a jury awarded more than $1 million to an Idaho artist who accused a far-right blogger of defaming him by falsely claiming he exposed himself to a crowd that included children.
Still, the idea of drag as a threat has become another form of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. Opponents even appeared to drag events with weapons. At least five states have passed laws in recent years restricting performances in some way, but courts in some of them have suspended enforcement.
As Pride Month approaches, it’s important to remember that drag is not just an art, but also an industry that promotes entrepreneurship and creates jobs, said community organizer Scott Simpson, who helped connect Qommittee members. Fans should get involved too, he said.
“The time to truly come together is now. The time to come together is when we have joyful moments together,” said Simpson, who also works for the unaffiliated Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “I mean, drag is the revolution. And we want to keep the revolution going.”
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
