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On the same day Iowa House Republicans announced their plan to kill Education Savings Accounts for Iowa families, Ankeny High School held a drag show in the afternoon for the Gay-Straight Alliance group’s end-of-year party.

Here is a little portion of a video posted publicly on Facebook of the event:

Students were also talked to about gender identity and expression.

“Specifically to me, I thought much more about drag before I thought about how gender identity is really interwoven with the art form,” one of the drag queens told students.

They told about a broadway show dealing with a drag queen learning to live with their father not accepting “who they are.”

“Eventually what I realized is that this art form that I kind of just throw myself into because I thought people looked pretty was something that when I felt like I couldn’t express myself at school or I felt like I had to look like this at school, I could go home or to The Garden, and I could be whoever I wanted to be — male, female.

“And from there is where I started to think, ‘Who am I?’ And I started to think, ‘What is gender?’ And I realized that no matter what pronouns you use, you are who you are.

“I could say tomorrow that I wanted to be (inaudible) and no matter what everyone else says to me, I know that on the inside that I am who I am.”

The individual said their journey is still near the beginning. And they said they thought about the pronouns he/they.

“Sometimes because of who I am I don’t really feel like I’m a man,” they said. “I don’t always feel like I am that like masculine figure everyone wants to see from someone that uses he/him pronouns. And I’ve started think that maybe he/they is more the way I (inaudible)…I feel like sometimes I do identify as a male. I feel like sometimes I’m more in the middle of the spectrum — not one or the other. That’s where I am right now. I still have a lot to think about on my journey, but I know that if you guys need anyone to talk to about things such as gender identity or you want to get into drag and see what this art form can mean to you, please (contact us) and we’ll all be ready to help you.”

It also appears there may have been someone giving a dollar bill to a performer — though it is difficult to make out what is in the individual’s hand.

The Iowa Standard contacted Ankeny High School as well as the district. So far we have not heard back. We asked three questions:

  1. Who approved the use of the facility for this?
  2. Did every student who attended have a parent sign a permission slip?
  3. Does the district believe this was appropriate behavior?

***Photos & video taken from a public Facebook post.***

25 COMMENTS

  1. For real, get your kids out of the government schools. If you want your kids to turn into pagans, you will let them be raised by pagans. Kids will be shaped by a culture, depends on which one. The culture I create in my home or the culture outside of my home.

    “We cannot continue to send our children to Caesar for their education and be surprised when they come home as Romans.” Voddie Baucham

  2. How many of those children will leave school this year below national standards with reading, writing and math? This is sick and demented. Would you approve women strippers coming in and doing the same thing? Is that the goal, do not teach so the children are left to selling their bodies to make a living?

  3. I am appalled!! I would like follow up…”Who did approve this?!” I would like to know the response of the superintendent and the principal what their thoughts are on this shameful display of behavior.

  4. Funny because you’re comparing apples to oranges Karen….sorry I meant Donna. Strippers get naked hence the word STRIP in their name. Drag Queens/Kings perform and do not get naked. Wake up and stop being so close minded.

  5. What in the literal hell is happening to our country ? This is here in Iowa ? Stand up people. Light up that School Board with calls and letters. Our kids can’t read, or do math, but they have time to watch this ?

    Contact Dr. Erick Pruitt, the superintendent at:

    (515) 965-9600

  6. This is absolutely disgusting. These people are GROOMERS. Home school your kids, or force the people in charge OUT.

  7. Disgraceful when done in front of school-age kids, next they will try to influence kids in libraries, happens in other cities.

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  9. Donna and Skip, according to usanews (https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa/districts/ankeny-community-school-district/ankeny-high-school-7502), Ankeny is ranked #6 in schools in Iowa, and #1 in the Des Moines Metro area, with a 98% graduation rate, so I think these students are fine in that regard

    Disgusted Parent, as Howard said, stripping and drag are not the same. And while the outfit was a bit revealing, this is no different from what a female cheerleader would wear. And I don’t know if you’ve been to any sporting events with cheerleaders at them in a while, but some of their dance moves can get rather raunchy, and at least for me, sometimes to the point it feels wrong to watch. So what’s the difference here? What makes it ok for the cheerleaders to do it, but not them?

  10. Donna and Skip, according to usanews (https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa/districts/ankeny-community-school-district/ankeny-high-school-7502) Ankeny is ranked #6 in schools in Iowa, and #1 in the Des Moines Metro area, with a 98% graduation rate, so I think these students are fine in that regard

    Disgusted Parent, as Howard said, stripping and drag are not the same. And while the outfit was a bit revealing, this is no different from what a female cheerleader would wear. And I don’t know if you’ve been to any sporting events with cheerleaders at them in a while, but some of their dance moves can get rather raunchy, and at least for me, sometimes to the point it feels wrong to watch. So what’s the difference here? What makes it ok for the cheerleaders to do it, but not them?

  11. Just say no to public education. It is easier now than ever to homeschool. If there are no students public education will collapse.
    Remember you are the parents. You hold the power.
    Just say NO!
    You can reinvent this institution to be the best ever!
    Have courage, for your kids sake, for your country’s sake!

  12. Wow you’re not allowed into the strip club until over 18 judging by the fact that this is a high school I’m almost positive that people in attendance were not of age what is happening

  13. The people who support this are the same people who will be supporting pedos in about 5 years. Why does this have any place in schools? Why are their homosexual organizations in our schools. You’re not born gay, you are groomed into it. 47% of gay men over 30 say they were molested as children, male that make sense. This is indecent and the adults supporting it are criminals. Drag is not an art expression, it’s a smut show. Homosexuality is a plague.

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