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Dallas 'drag your kids to pride' event sparks outrage as videos show children handing money to drag queen

During the event, drag performers danced and walked down the aisle in the center of the room and could be seen taking money from children

DALLAS, TEXAS: The “Drag the kids to pride” drag show brought a clash between anti-LGBTQ+ right-wing protesters, parents, attendees of the event, and police on Saturday, June 4 afternoon. Dallas bar Mr. Misster held the event "Drag the kids to pride" drag show Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the city's Oak Lawn neighborhood. The organizers called it a family-friendly spin-off of their Champagne Drag Brunch that would allow kids to dance with performers on stage.

During the event, drag performers danced and walked down the aisle in the center of the room and children could be seen handing money to the drag queens. Children also walked with the dancers down the aisle during the event. Multiple pictures and images were shared on Twitter from the event and several children could be seen sitting in the middle of a dance floor. And, In front of the children stood Drag Queens with a sign behind him that reads, “it’s not gonna lick itself!”

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Independent journalist Taylor Hansen shared videos from the event. 

The images of the display boards at the gay bar were also shared that read, "it’s not gonna lick itself!”". 

The event caused outrage among people and protestors chanted "Christ Is King" outside the venue of the show "Drag Your Kids To Pride" and some carrying signs that read “Stop grooming the kids” and “Stop exploiting kids,” and similar variations.

The protesters reportedly gathered first in front of Mr. Misster, at the corner of Cedar Springs Road and Reagan Street before Dallas police officers forced them to move across Reagan to the sidewalk in front of the fire station, holding posters and they were upset that kids were involved with the drag show. One woman who was protesting, Dasy, who didn't want to give her last name, first saw the poster for the event near where she lives. She was at the bar after the event with a "Stop grooming the kids" poster.

"I live in this community," Dasy said. "I have for several years. I don't believe that I should be seeing signs advertising for children to be dancing on stage with men in thongs and in inappropriate clothing and makeup. I do not in any way condone the behavior that these people are engaging in, but what drags me out here is its kids now."

Many people reacted outrageously to the whole event. A user wrote, "If we can't outlaw the obscenity of allowing children to enter an event like this we are doomed as a civilization. And parents: What would possess you to think that taking your child or baby to a gay bar for a “Drag the Kids to Pride” event is OK?"

Another user wrote, ""Drag Your Kid to Pride" was the most evil event I have ever seen in my entire life....We as a society need to stand up and stop the sexualization of our children now before its too late!"

In a statement provided by the anti-LGBTQ+ group Protect Texas Kids tried to claim that Dallas Police officials had “removed” the children from the drag show. 

“We decided to organize this protest when we saw advertising for the event a few weeks ago – we researched the bar and quickly found out that it’s a gay bar, and we were also pretty concerned when we saw the signage on the bar’s website that says “it’s not gonna lick itself.” We just launched our organization and this was our first event.  

The mission was to raise awareness that an event like this, a drag show for children, was happening right in Dallas. We also hoped that if we raised awareness, the event might be canceled or modified so that children couldn’t be present. 

We were very happy with how the event went overall. The police were able to come in and remove all of the children and their families from inside of the bar. There were a lot of people in attendance who didn’t have kids, so those people were able to stay and the event continued.”

Contrary to part of this statement in regard to removing children and families, the Dallas Police Department said officers showed up to "assist with crowd control" and help the crowd "disperse in a safe manner."

Mr. Misster also said the bar had received several hundred threatening emails, Google reviews, and phone calls from protestors.