On Friday, investigative journalist Tayler Hansen attended an “all-ages” drag show and toy drive hosted by the House of Eternas—“San Antonio’s premiere BIPOC alternative drag troupe”—and found an unattended child who was not having fun.
Hansen, who was reporting on the event for Texas Family Project, found a couple dozen adults and one young girl lacking parental supervision.
The event included multiple drag queens dancing suggestively and lip-syncing to racy music on stage and throughout the crowd, with many of them in sheer stockings, thongs, underwear, and showcasing fake cleavage.
Full Report of the “All Ages” Christmas Drag Show hosted by The Starlighter in San Antonio, TX—
A child was left unattended without parents throughout the entire show.
A Drag Queen was touching and stroking a child’s hair. Attendees gave the child money to give to the Queens. pic.twitter.com/SXU6F3l5dG
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) December 3, 2022
Recordings of the event highlighted one instance when a drag queen asked the unattended young girl, who looked to be between the ages of 6 to 8, if she was having fun.
Her response: She shook her head no.
Later footage shows the girl visibly backing away from a drag queen—dressed in skintight black leather, devil horns, and makeup reminiscent of the rock band Kiss—when he moved closer to her.
The Starlighter, which hosted the event, published a statement saying the young girl belonged to a food vendor who was outside, adding that she was not left “unattended.”
However, when a drag queen learned the patrons seated at the girl’s table were not her parents, and discovered her parents weren’t in the room, he began stroking her hair before the performance went on.
State Republican Executive Committeeman Christin Bentley said, “It is one of the sickest, most difficult videos to watch of them all.”
The Starlighter announced they will not hold any more drag shows for the remainder of the year since they feel “unsafe” due to public pushback.
Although many establishments advertise their drag shows as “family friendly” and open to all ages, video footage shows children at several similar events stuffing dollar bills into drag queens’ underwear.
In fact, a drag show earlier this year at a Dallas gay bar featured children walking on stage with drag queens in front of a sign reading “It’s not gonna lick itself.”
Texas Family Project has been exposing these “family-friendly” drag shows and says they are “no place for a child.”
State Reps. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco) and Matt Shaheen (R–Plano) have filed companion pieces of legislation prohibiting children from attending sexually oriented events, such as drag performances.
The Texas GOP has designated “Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids” as a legislative priority for the upcoming 88th Legislative Session, which begins January 10, 2023.
Concerned citizens may contact their elected officials to register their concerns.
