What better way to start pride month than to have conservative Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) be responsible for getting a “family friendly” drag show at a U.S. Air Force base canceled.
The cancellation comes after Gaetz wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley on May 23, demanding answers for why drag events were still occurring on U.S. military installations, despite a previous congressional testimony saying that the Department of Defense (DOD) does not support such events.
"HUGE VICTORY, Drag shows should not be taking place on military installations with taxpayer dollars PERIOD!" Gaetz wrote on Twitter.
HUGE VICTORY: The Department of Defense has CANCELED a scheduled "child-friendly" drag show after I demanded answers from @SecDef Austin and General Milley!
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) May 31, 2023
Drag shows should not be taking place on military installations with taxpayer dollars PERIOD!
READ:… https://t.co/YDByQihQod pic.twitter.com/vnJiuFlh2z
The drag show was supposed to take place at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on June 1 and was organized by the Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council.
Fox News reported that the group announced their cancellation on a Facebook post:
The Nellis LGBTQ+ Pride Council is saddened to inform you that we are no longer able to host our annual Pride Month Drag Show on Nellis AFB” and that they, "received notification that the DoD has directed Commanders not to host Drag events on military installations.
The organization has been hosting the drag event at the airbase for the past two years, according to Fox News.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) also sent a letter to Austin on Thursday, demanding the DOD provide a list of other Pride Events that the military might be sponsoring with taxpayer funding.
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