#Drag performance

[catgirl-kaiju]

Just curious, what's the "pink scare"?

I misspoke; I was referring to the Lavender Scare.

The Lavender Scare was an American political movement that lasted roughly from 1947 to 1956, paralleling the 2nd Red Scare. It was largely helmed by Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn and was a targeted campaign of political attack against queer people. The reasoning behind it was that gay men and lesbians constituted a threat against national security because their "subversive behavior" (not being straight) meant they somehow had strong connections to communism and, therefore, the USSR.

The movement resulted the outing and firing of hundreds of queer people from government jobs (ranging from politicians, clerks, military personnel, and contractors working with the government) with the State Department reporting that by 1953, they had fired 425 people under allegations of homosexuality. It also resulted in Dwight D. Eisenhower's Executive Order 10450, which fully barred any "homosexuals" from working any positions in the federal government.

EO 10450 was partially repealed in 1975 largely in response to young men using claims of homosexuality to dodge the Vietnam draft, and again in 1995 when the Bill Clinton administration instituted the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy for military personnel. It wasn't fully and completely repealed until 1998 with the Bill Clinton passing Executive Order 13087, which prohibited any such discrimination in federal employment and wasn't EXPLICITLY repealed until Barack Obama's Executive Order 13764 wich took effect in 2017.

The cultural effect was an amplification of pre-existing societal homophobia to violent extremes and the promotion of the idea that queer people are inherently dangerous to "American freedom and democracy". Fun fact, Roy Cohn was actually a gay man who was very openly in sexual and romantic relationships with many men, even during The Lavender Scare, bit considered himself to be different from other gay men, basically because he was a dominant top. He died of AIDS while being part of the federal government's inaction campaign in response to the pandemic.

If you want to read more about it, the Wikipedia page is a decent place to start.

The point I was making in regards to there being a 2nd Lavender Scare happening right now is in reference to the growing wave of targeted transphobic policies and violence from the political right and the liberal inaction in response to it.

I'd say that this new Lavender Scare started in 2017 with Trump's banning of trans people from entering the military and has continued to the present day when it is rapidly escalating with no end in sight.

The main characteristics of this new scare, in my opinion are:

A targeting of trans people, gender non-conformity, and drag performance as subversive elements in society that pose a danger to the "traditional family", christian hegemony, and the wellbeing of children.

The platforming of extremist right-wing propaganda from various sources in mainstream media and political discourse, which all spout unified transphobic talking points that inspire discriminatory policies and violence through stochastic terrorism.

Transphobic policies being passed into law at a rapid pace on the state level in multiple states, with little to no federal intervention. (This refers to the US specifically)

Domestic stochastic terrorist attacks on queer spaces that prominently feature and support trans communities and drag performance, which are inspired by transphobic right-wing propaganda.

The boosting of TERF voices who pitch the same transphobic talking points as the right, from a pseudo-leftist perspective that serves as an alternate route of attack in the insemination of violent transphobia into the mainstream. (This is especially prevalent in the UK)

The "groomer" narrative, which links trans people, gender non-conformity, and drag performance to pedophilia in an effort to evoke strong emotional reactions from misinformed people prone to bigotry and reactionary thinking. This tactic can also be seen in action with the Q-Anon conspiracy cult.

Utilizing trans people, gender non-conformity, and drag performance as scapegoats for economic decline, political unrest, and poor quality of life in order to disract from the systems actually responsible for these problems.

Link to article

Link to article

Armed Proud Boy protest against the Holi-Drag Storytime in Columbus, Ohio, and counter protesters protecting the event.

Protesters against Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill

Link to article

I would also like to add that unlike the 1st Lavender Scare, this is not just an American phenomenon but part of a clear and roughly coordinated multinational right-wing movement and is presenting just as prevalently in the UK (albeit in a slightly different form). It is dangerous to leave this reactionary movement unstated and unnamed, lest is become normalized.

[fixing-bad-posts]

[Image description: A tumblr post, edited blackout-poetry style to read, "children need to be exposed to drag."]

---

children need to be exposed to drag

[em-the-nem]

Did some femme drag tonight and stomped that stage 💁🏻

It's October 3rd 👀

[whatbigotspost]

Taking our victories where we can get ‘em!

[photo-critter]

Sanderson Sisterz Drag Troupe

Like what you see? Buy us a coffee!

[bblue-ivyy]

Set 1 / set 2 had so much fun

Please go follow the artist dragonus flame who filmed this for me last night!

You can't see the confetti going off but everyone loved it each time

I still have ammo so I plan to reuse it !

[itgetsbetterproject]

Reminder that drag queens are out here doing it all, including:

• Dancing, singing & performing • Doing killer makeup looks • Reading at story hour • Teaching you how to code?!

Watch Anna Lyticals episode of Industry: youtu.be/glIdusrWYYw

[parthenvn]

Happy June! Free Palestine!

this was my life for the past month. take a look if you'd like

[runningwithfangs]

Queen of the Damned Drag Performance!

I love Tucson, Arizoña so much and it's because of shit like this! Excuse the terrible quality/lighting.

Akasha: Na-il Ali Emmert

Lestat: Erik Shunn

They were so kind and patient to take pictures with me!

I asked to be attacked 🙈

[amuseoffirebane]

Cool article about my local drag king scene!!

[em-the-nem]

Some of my favorite moments from last night. This song and outfit gave me so much confidence!

[photo-critter]

Sanderson Sisterz Drag Troupe

Like what you see? Buy us a coffee!

[bblue-ivyy]

Repost because it didn't post the first time I guess

My first set from my debut at the kings and things show in pei

Surprised even the host (arson burner) with my tap number

Camerawork done by the lovely Dixon cuntry

[dragkingsrule]

Here's the link to this masterpiece! The artist, UK drag king Oliver Assets, also has a lot of other awesome (and hilarious) work worth checking out!