June is Pride Month, and a Dallas event is drawing attention from protesters.
The Mr. Misster Bar and Lounge on Cedar Springs Road is hosting “Drag the Kids to Pride” Saturday, and their Eventbrite listing promises “the ultimate family-friendly spin-off of our famed Champagne Drag Brunch.”
Organizers said a DJ will play hit music, and the event will bring together “some of the best drag entertainers around!”
Guests under 21 can drink alcohol-free “mocktails” (mock cocktails), while parents can enjoy the bar’s usual fare of Mimosa Towers and other libations. The lounge said it will offer the opportunity for five children to get on stage and “dance by themselves” or “perform” with female impersonators.
The organizers of the event at Mr. Misster told The Dallas Express, “We have been made aware of the protests that are being organized and have alerted the authorities of all homophobic threats, transphobic remarks, and vile accusations.”
“While we welcome everyone, behavior of this sorts will not be tolerated in our establishment and any display of hate within our four walls will be handled to the fullest extent by the authorities,” the statement continued.
A group called “Protect Texas Kids” is organizing a protest of the event.
Organizer Kelly Neidert spoke to The Dallas Express about why she wants to see events like this one stopped.
“I’ve organized the protest against this drag event because I want to make it clear that events like this are unacceptable,” Neidert said. “Pride month events seem to get progressively worse per year, and we should never normalize inherently sexual events directed at children.”
Marco Roberts is the interim chair for the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum (TCLF). He spoke to The Dallas Express about what he feels the competing nature of these events represents.
“What these events and protests show is that there is clearly a deep and bitter divide in our country, and in our state, over what’s appropriate for kids, and the extent that ideology is infusing the raising of our children, be at schools, or other venues like this one,” Roberts said.
Roberts wants people to be more sensitive in these debates and not resort to rhetoric. He also acknowledges that many gay conservatives are not comfortable with some recent LGBTQIA events, especially “sexually suggestive” events.
He added, “I say that not knowing what exactly will be featured in this upcoming event.”
Roberts concluded by saying TCLF takes the discourse over divisive topics like LGBT issues seriously.
“We do believe that there is a vacuum in our political discourse on how to address these issues sensibly, particularly from a conservative, limited government, free speech perspective, and without needlessly always resorting to inflammatory rhetoric,” Roberts said.
Mr. Misster commented, “It is so sad to see that there is a group of people so willing to go out of their way to take an event that is meant to raise money for a great cause and turn it into a hate campaign.”
Not everyone sees the event the same way.
“Nothing about drag shows are ‘family-friendly.’ This disturbing event does not reflect family values but instead contributes to the inappropriate early sexualization of children through adult entertainment at an adult venue,” said Jonathan Covey, director of policy for Texas Values.
The event and protest are set to begin at 11 a.m. at Mr. Misster, located at 3900 Cedar Springs Road in Dallas, and the protest will take place a few blocks away at 3333 Turtle Creek Boulevard, according to the Eventbrite listing.
