Mimosa towers and breakfast foods were abundant at a drag show brunch held at a Dallas bar on Saturday afternoon.
The Dallas Express was in attendance at the event hosted at Mr. Misster in Oak Lawn, a spot that has previously held “family-friendly” drag shows welcoming attendees of all ages.
Saturday’s brunch featured a group of five drag queens that took part in the event, which had a theme of “Madonna vs. Lady Gaga.”
Inside the venue, signs hung on the wall reading, “It’s not gonna lick itself,” while shirts being sold read, “If being gay was a choice, I’d be gayer.”
During the show, multiple members of the audience were invited onto the stage to take part in sexually themed games.
While this show had an age minimum of 21, Mr. Misster was the subject of a protest in June in response to the “all-ages” drag show being held at the time.
The previous event invited children to “the ultimate family-friendly spin-off of [its] famed Champagne Drag Brunch,” per The Dallas Express.
But those who do not support “family-friendly” drag shows, such as the protesters on the scene, argue that children’s attendance at such events should not be normalized.
“I truly don’t understand how anyone should be okay with that. I don’t know how anyone [who] knows what the drag show is could be okay with that,” said activist Kelly Neidert in a previous statement sent to The Dallas Express.
Conversely, others are not against the practice. T.J. Gonzalez, owner of The Trove in Bishop Arts, said he believes “it should be up to the parents,” according to previous reports by The Dallas Express.
“They choose to bring their kids and want them to experience that. I think the kids are going to end up growing up, and you see it, so I think it’s best to [leave it] to the parents,” added Gonzalez.
Debate has continued about whether children should be permitted to attend drag or other shows featuring potentially sexual content, prompting Governor Abbott to sign Senate Bill 12 in June.
SB 12 will prohibit minors from attending “sexually oriented performances,” such as those involving a “male performer exhibiting as a female, or a female performer exhibiting as a male, who uses clothing, makeup, or other similar physical markers and who sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience.”
The bill will officially go into effect on September 1.
Even without children in attendance, drag shows have sparked discourse around the state. West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) canceled a student drag show in March, saying that drag is disrespectful in its portrayal of women.
“Drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood,” stated Walter Wendler, president of WTAMU, in an email sent to members of the university, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“Drag shows are derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent.”
The decision by Wendler was met with scrutiny from students. More than a dozen students arrived to protest the event’s cancellation with signs that read “Women who love drag” and “Don’t drag us down,” per The Dallas Express.
