MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

'This is creepy': Oregon bar slammed for promoting event featuring 11-yr-old girl dressed as drag queen

The child's mother who is also a drag queen said, 'Nothing Vanellope does is sexual. She wears costumes, lip syncs to her favorite songs'

EUGENE, OREGON: A pub in Eugene has been chastised on social media for casting an 11-year-old girl as a drag performer in an upcoming show. Old Nick's Pub shared a Facebook post with a series of pictures announcing an event at their brunch show that will feature drag performer Vanellope Craving, 11, whose real name is Hannahlyn Engelson, with the girl wearing makeup and a costume.

The child's mother, Sunshine Ray MacPherson, whose real name is Jennifer Hibbs, is also a drag performer and says her daughter has the support of the LGBTQ community. Vanellope has previously performed for the show, and public Venmo transactions indicate that a number of adults have paid or tipped Vanellope for her previous performances. Furious online users have called the show "child abuse" and questioned why Child Protective Services is not yet involved, reported Daily Mail.

READ MORE

Rong Liu: Daycare owner held for child abuse after she 'pulled head and neck' of 3-year-old boy

Outrage as drag queen spreads legs and thrusts breasts forward as little kids encouraged to TIP

In the Facebook post, the pub wrote, "Are you excited for Drag queen story time brunch this Sunday morning!? Well, lets meet our performers! Vanellope is here to show you what a 11-year-old drag queen can do. With all the charm and sweetness of a bowl of sugary cereal, Vanellope is here to brighten up your morning with all her drag talent." Soonafter the pub found itself deleting negative comments and in defense accused those condemning the show of "sexualizing a child in makeup." "It's very weird how many of you are sexualizing a child in makeup," wrote the pub in defense.

"It all boils down to fundamental misogyny." Old Nick's Pub said, "we have limited our comments because many of them were becoming volatile, violent, and disgusting. And Vanellope does not need to see grown adults sexualizing her like that," reported Daily Mail. "Drag is an art form. The idea that it is inherently sexual is a form of bigotry. There are sexualized 21 plus drag shows, yes. But drag is for everyone." The pub further explains, "It’s traditionally an art form that is a performance of exaggerated femininity. As a society most people see feminine performance as sexual, even when it is not." On Twitter, journalist Andy Ngo who originally shared a detailed ordeal also revealed the child's drag mentor Kelsey Boren has been arrested for allegedly making and distributing child porn. 

"Nothing Vanellope does is sexual. She wears costumes, lip syncs to her favorite songs, does acrobatic flips, and wears makeup when she wants to. Nothing about that is sexual."  Vanellope's mother Sunshine commented on the restaurant's post and said she will defend her child who has supposedly grown a liking towards it. "The [sic] are going to have to come through ME her MOTHER and her [sic] of Queens and LBGTQ+ [sic] Community she is FIERCELY protected!!!!" commented MacPherson on the post who was previously crowned Ms Gay Oregon, as reported by the outlet. 

While social media did not take kindly to this and users reacted to the post with outrage and vilification of the event and the child drag queen's parents. Christina Pushaw a media strategist for Governor Ron DeSantis wrote, "Omg this is so beyond creepy." One user said, "Probably the thought that Democrats support this disgusting new trend. Not one of them have ever spoken out against this. This is not the direction that our country should be going." While another said, "Gawd it gets worst the further you read." One user slamming the city said, "Absolutely disgusting and incomprehensible. The city of #Eugene has reached a new low." A user urged people to protect these children saying, "Look at this.. and look at the comments in the screen shot. Someone needs to protect these children cuz the parents obviously aren’t." "This is not normal. This is not okay. This is child abuse," said another. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.