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An Oregon pub is advertising an event that will feature an 11-year-old drag queen. Old Nick’s Pub made the following post to Facebook:
The “all-ages” event will be free for kids under age 11.
“Join us for an all new journey into Fantasy and Story with local favorite drag queen, Maliena! She will enchant us with fairytales new and old! With special guest queens and performances woven within, this is a new All Ages Drag event you won’t want to miss!” a post on the establishment’s website reads.
After criticism erupted over the event, the pub decided to double down:
Dear friends, our youngest drag queen is being targeted by a hate campaign on Twitter right now.
We LOVE AND SUPPORT VANELLOPE.
Drag is an art form. It is not an inherently sexual act to dress in drag, and those sexualizing her are falling into a very typical societal trap of misogyny that views any female performance as sexual.
The thing to remember: This isn’t our first rodeo with hate. We’ve had white supremacists mad at us from day one for removing them from our spaces and not allowing them platforms on our stage.
Our space receives constant letters from bigoted religious organizations who call us all sorts of weird names.
Our owners are listed on Judas Watch as “race traitors” because they support minority groups.
We’re unfortunately experienced at standing up to societies hate and vitriol.
The best thing we can do as a community is stand together. We will have extra security in place and EPD has been contacted.
Yes, the hate is flowing in. But a lot of those people are not even local. We’re just the next thing they think they need to be afraid of and mad about online. It looks big because it’s a microcosm of the Internet.
What’s wonderful is to see all the love and community support for Vanellope and the space.
Y’all have been messaging us nonstop about your support for her and us and it’s amazing.
We think she’s gonna be a star on the big screen someday, so if you can come pack the house on Sunday and show her how loved and supported she is, we will force the darkness out once again with our light.
The following video of the last drag show at the pub was shared to Facebook as well:
