When I arrived in Founder’s Park where the Pride Festival was held, I was greeted by loud music while I was still walking across the park, long before I’d even reached the entrance.
I would much rather have been trail running than investigating Pride. However, I am glad I did. What I witnessed was beyond my comprehension, especially for the area I live in. Although we are still called “the Bible Belt,” we are anything but. The activities were more reminiscent of an adult nightclub rather than a “family-friendly festival.”
I didn’t have to dive below the surface to discover the Tri-Pride festival's agenda. I just had to wait for the drag shows to begin. Yes, drag shows in the middle of the day, in a park, aimed at children. Is that really necessary?
Children do NOT belong at Pride! Children do NOT belong at Drag Shows!
At the start of the drag show, the announcer said there was going to be nothing but love, regardless of the hostility going on beyond the gates, even though there were no protests that I could find. At this moment in time, the queer community’s “rights” take precedence over everyone else. Under the ugly Progressive Pride Flag, boundaries mean nothing and everyone else in the community is trampled upon. The only ones who are allowed to speak are the cult leaders, but only for the followers who can keep up with their ever-changing rules. The “love” that was shown during the drag show was that of provocative dancing in front of children. The “love” continued as these men greedily took money from children. It was nightmare fuel.
Those who scream about how the patriarchy needs to be taken down seem to be comfortable when creepy 50-year-old men dress in women’s clothing, wear wigs, pack on elaborate makeup, then “shake their stuff” in front of children. Those same parents who point fingers against the “patriarchy” are the very ones who encourage their children to participate in this depravity.
Any person, male or female, a drag performer or not, should refuse to participate in such displays of sexualization if children are present. The saying, “The show must go on,” should NEVER apply when it involves obscenity and sexualized dancing in front of children.
The Gypsy Queens of the Tri-Cities took that mantra quite seriously
The Gypsy Queens are a group of older men who dress in women’s lingerie and put on performances. Their website describes them as being “the premiere traveling entertainment group of the tri cities.” (Gypsy, 2024) Although the events on their website are advertised for 21 and older, the drag queens of the Gypsy Queens did not care that children were present during their show. Just like the Pied Piper, they led children to destruction while adults cheered.
Children should never have been allowed to attend these drag shows, but this is what happens when you allow queer corporatism to brainwash parents into believing that it’s okay to bring their children, as long as it’s under the LGBTQAA2S+ umbrella and is listed as “family-friendly.” Shame on everyone who encouraged the children to tip dollar bills to men in lewd attire. The Gypsy Queen entourage should be ashamed of themselves for performing in such a lascivious manner in front of children!
There was at least one child there who knew it was wrong. His dad tried forcing him to dance along with the crowd, but the young boy resisted. His father never should have brought him or his sister there to begin with and, at the very least, should have left when he realized his son was uncomfortable watching men dance like strippers in women’s underwear. Tennessee’s Pride Festivals may not be as lewd as the bigger cities, but we are currently headed in that direction. Children’s innocence is at stake.
References
Costa, M. (2022). TrevorSpace: A Pedophile’s Paradise. Radar News. https://www.radar.gaysagainstgroomers.com/post/trevorspace-a-pedophile-s-paradise
Gypsy Queens.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions. (2024). HRC. Human Rights Campaign
TriPride. (2024). TriPride 2024 Parade and Festival.