(Photo from The Center Orlando’s Facebook page)
ORLANDO | The LGBT+ Center in Orlando announced on its social media accounts Oct. 24 that it was cancelling a planned Drag Queen Story Hour due to threats of protest from several hate groups.
The event was supposed to be held on Saturday, Oct. 29 and hosted by drag entertainer Bridgette Galore. The Center Orlando has been hosting Drag Queen Story Hour since 2019.
A message from the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, about the event was posted on the instant messaging app Telegram, detailing how they wished to protest the event. Members on the forum responded, slowly rallying numbers to protest.
“I’m down just tell me when,” one commenter wrote.
Another chimed in, writing “I’ll even request off from work.”
Screenshots courtesy George Wallace.
After reviewing the post, The Center Orlando came to the decision to prioritize the safety of its performers and guests who would be attending and decided it was best to cancel the event.
“We take these threats very seriously and would not want to endanger or expose children and their parents and guardians to bigotry and hate,” George Wallace, chief executive officer of The Center Orlando, said in a statement. “We have the support of so many in our community including law enforcement, but as much as we would like to continue this fun-loving, innocent event, we feel that the safety of our community is our number one concern.”
The event was sponsored in part by the City of Orlando Mayor’s Matching Grant Program, which provides neighborhood organizations with financial resources to implement enhancement projects the organization would not normally be able to fund. The grant projects address neighborhood needs, enhance the quality of life in a City neighborhood, benefit the entire neighborhood and allow all residents the opportunity to participate.
“Words cannot adequately express my disgust for Nazis,” stated Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani in a statement. The Center Orlando is in Eskamani’s district. “These threats of violence targeting both the LGBTQ+ community and Jewish community have become all too common in the United States and in Florida. We must stand together — across party lines — to oppose this hatred and bigotry. I urge everyone who shares in my outrage to speak up against the rise of homophobia, transphobia, anti-semitism and fascism in our society. I also urge you to please vote for leaders that don’t empower this behavior and instead vote for those who work to unify us, vs divide.”
The free-to-attend, Halloween-themed Drag Queen Story Hour was to include an opportunity for the kids to dress in their Halloween costumes, collect candy and receive a complimentary book to take home.
“Thank you for your understanding that we live in challenging times right now, and we don’t want to expose or endanger innocent children to hate, bigotry or violence,” said Wallace.
Drag Queen Story Hours have been a point of attack for anti-LGBTQ, conservative groups and politicians across the country, with opponents calling the performers involved “perverts” and “groomers.” In September, Florida Rep. Randy Fine sought to have the city permit for Space Coast Pride’s festival and parade pulled due to the organization hosting a Drag Queen Storytime. Melbourne’s mayor responded on social media, stating that he welcomes Space Coast Pride and their event. Space Coast Pride’s event went on as scheduled.
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