Drag performers, kids dancing on stage with LGBTQ flags, and BDSM ‘puppy masks’ were just some of the sights at Trinity Pride Fest in Fort Worth on Saturday.
The Dallas Express went to the event and saw multiple children in attendance.
1)? BREAKING: Trinity Pride which is sponsored by Visit Fort Worth a taxpayer funded non-profit has allowed minors dancing on stage with Pride flags. The event had drag queens, butt pots, transgender mutilating paintings, bdsm puppy masks, etc. More posts down below. pic.twitter.com/7vR32Xwcwr
— Carlos Turcios (@Carlos__Turcios) June 16, 2024
There were men dressed in drag — some of whom were slated performers and others just attendees — and some people wearing BDSM “puppy helmets.”
One of the vendor booths was selling paintings that seemed to endorse sex alteration surgery. Another painting appeared to depict a biological woman’s chest after breast removal surgery.
A booth had Pride books geared toward children. One such title was Donovan’s Big Day, which tells the story of a boy getting ready to see two women get married.
“Donovan’s two moms are getting married, and he can’t wait for the celebration to begin. After all, as ringbearer, he has a very important job to do. Any boy or girl with same-sex parents — or who knows a same-sex couple — will appreciate this picture book about love, family, and marriage,” Penguin Random House’s website reads.
Another booth had clay pots shaped like buttocks, followed by a booth selling hand fans that read “DADDY” in transgender Pride colors. Additionally, another booth had cartoon paintings of a man in provocative, sexually charged positions.
Left-wing activists were also present at the event, distributing anti-Israel flyers.
Visit Fort Worth had a station where volunteers passed out “Y’ALL MEANS ALL” stickers.
As previously reported by DX, Visit Fort Worth was one of Trinity Pride Fest’s sponsors. Visit Fort Worth is a nonprofit that receives taxpayer money from the City of Fort Worth to promote tourism.
According to documents obtained by DX via a Freedom of Information Act request, Visit Fort Worth received $18,313,997 from the City of Fort Worth’s Public Events, Culture & Tourism account. The group has a history of promoting drag shows, including ones that have allowed minors.
“How insidious can this be? If we normalize this for children, we are normalizing that misogynistic view of women,” Michelle Evans, a Republican activist from William County, previously told DX about all-ages drag shows and Pride events.
Others seem to believe it is not a serious issue for children to attend such events.
“I defer to parents to determine appropriate venues and performances for their children to visit and support the First Amendment right of free speech, which includes most types of performances,” Dallas City Council Member Chad West told DX last month.
DX reached out to Visit Fort Worth and Trinity Pride for comment but did not receive a response. An additional request for comment was also sent to BNSF Railway, one of the event’s sponsors.
DX also tried to contact Frank Kent Cadillac owner Will Churchill, whose company was a prominently placed sponsor on promotional material. Cadillac Customer Care ended up responding instead, writing:
“First, I must express that Cadillac dealerships are independently owned and operated. That being said, as a global company with a diverse customer base, we advertise on a wide variety of programs, in a multitude of ways, to make sure we attract the attention of potential customers. We try to be diverse in all our ads and keep in mind the sensitivity of the matter and how it may impact the viewing base.
“Our part in the concerns you brought to our attention is to provide your feedback directly to dealership management so that they can continue to do well when servicing our vehicles and to make any changes they see fit in other areas of their business.”
UPDATE: This article was updated at 10:20 a.m. on June 17, 2024, to add a comment received from Cadillac.
