But about 24 hours before the third annual show on Thursday, Cooper got word from the Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council, which organized the event, that it was canceled.
Department of Defense officials axed the show, saying it would not host drag events in federally funded facilities, a decision first reported byDeputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement to The Washington Post that hosting drag events at United States military facilities “is inconsistent with regulations regarding the use of DoD resources.”Cooper said the show’s cancellation sent a message — in particular to LGBTQ+ service members.
“Basically, they’re saying to them, you can be who you are, but you just can’t be that here,” he told The Post. “That’s how I take it.”Cooper said many people in the base’s community had looked forward to Thursday’s event after enjoying the previous years’ shows.Afterward, Cooper said he heard from spectators, even those who had never seen a drag performance before, that they enjoyed it.
, Republican lawmakers in at least 14 states introduced bills to ban or restrict performances at the start of this year’s legislative session.In late March, Rep. Matt Gaetz questioned Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about drag events at military bases during a House Armed Services Committee meeting. He asked about taxpayer money being used for drag queen story hours, which Austin said the Defense Department does not fund.
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