The Keller-Southlake Pride festival, scheduled for October 4, removed a “transgender” performer after backlash from parents, officials, and community leaders.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the event is scheduled to take place at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church.
Organizers promoted “all-ages” programming with drag performers and a “transgender” artist whose lyrics, according to critics, referenced sex-alteration surgery.
Keller Mayor Armin Mizani condemned the festival. He warned that despite its “family-friendly” label, the content appeared inappropriate for minors.
“Though promoted as ‘family-friendly,’ the event’s musical acts and programming suggest an agenda aimed at exposing children to inappropriate, highly sexualized content. That’s unacceptable,” Mizani posted on X.
He also pointed to Senate Bill 12, which criminalizes specific lewd or explicit content when children are present or can view it.
“The law made it clear minors should not be subjected to sexually oriented or lewd performances,” Mizani said.
“If SB12, signed into law by @GregAbbott_TX in 2023, continues to be held up by the courts with no ruling by the Court of Appeals, then as the next state representative for #HD98, I will lead the charge to refile and strengthen the bill to ensure it stands up to legal scrutiny and is fully enforceable. Children must be protected from sexually explicit and lewd performances—no exceptions, no compromises,” Mizani stated on social media.
Shortly after Mizani’s statement and The Dallas Express report, Keller Pride announced it had removed performer Madame Lexical from the lineup. The group defended her planned song and claimed she had been “carefully vetted.”
“Each and every performer at our event has been carefully vetted and coached so that their performances (specific to Pride Kel-So) are appropriate for children, otherwise we would not have made the claim of this event being family friendly,” organizers wrote on Facebook.
“We have removed Madame Lexical from our timeline to shield her from the onslaught of misguided hatred. However, we fully stand behind our belief in the one song she had planned to perform being appropriate for the audience as well.”
Despite the change, the event remains open to minors and will still feature drag acts.
Performers include Anastasia Diamond Doll, Nylie Diamond Doll, Cherise Maraschino, Bradina Jay Kage, and Día Monté. The Dallas Express reviewed social media posts from Anastasia Doll that depicted sexually suggestive routines.
Sponsors include Simple Surrogacy, which, according to its website, promotes surrogacy programs for same-sex couples and offers a “Men Having Babies” consultation service.
In response, the Texas Coalition for Kids announced a protest for 2 p.m. on October 4 outside the church.
The Dallas Express reached out to Keller Pride for comment but did not receive a response.