“ It was the first time that I had been straight off referenced in the halls of Congress . ”
Late last calendar month , I was surprised to wake up to a flurry of text messages : “ daughter , you ’re all over Congress ! ” As I opened tie-in after link , I was meet with a surreal array of photos showingRep . Marjorie Taylor Greene result a DOGE subcommittee auditory modality , and to my surprise , behind her was an oversized portrait of me . I roll my eye and dreamed about going back to bottom .
As a puff world-beater who reads and writes children ’s Christian Bible , this was certainly not the first fourth dimension I have confront attacks , by politicians and otherwise . My books have been challenged and banned , result have been protested , and myname and likenesshave been used in myriaddisingenuous endeavor to stoke fear about LGBTQ+ citizenry , admit bySecretary of State Marco Rubio . However , it was the first time that I had been directly referenced in the halls of Congress .
My first opinion to myself was : At least she chose a gorgeous photo . Ironically , it was one of my own headshots depicting a friendly smile and crimson , blanched and blue sequin stars — a stark direct contrast to Greene ’s own scowling face that dominated press exposure of her testimony . My arcsecond : It ’s funny that Greene and other MAGA Republicans have yet to learn that it ’s a bad thought to pick a fight with a drag queen .
She cover : “ [ A]s a female parent who provoke three child , I felt positive that I could will the elbow room while my own kid were watching children ’s programming on PBS . But … if I had walk in my living way or one of my children ’s bedrooms and seen this child predator and this devil direct my children , I would become unglued . ”
Needless to say , her already extremely unglued name - call insinuates claims about me that are evidently false . She is correct that I once appeared on the public television program “ rent ’s Learn , ” reading my image bookThe Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish , Swish , Swish — a playful parody stand for to encourage kids to verbalize their inner fabulousness . But the reality , as PBS CEO Paula Kerger made clear , is thatthe show was produced by local affiliate WNET , not by PBS itself .
Additionally , her rhetoric suggesting that LGBTQ - affirmative media is a class of “ sexualizing and grooming … brainwashing and transing children ” is not only imitation , but offensive . As I noted in myinitial response : This rerun is tired and tiresome . That is , it is part of awell - wear down playbookthatgoes back decades , as exemplified byAnita Bryant ’s “ Save Our Children ” campaignof the 1970s , and whichhas sadly been mainstreamed by Republicans in late year .
In the hearing itself , several Democratic members of the citizens committee playfully dig fun at Greene . Rep. Robert Garcia jokingly inquired : “ The American people need to know : Is Elmo now , or has he ever been , a member of the Communist Party ? … Because he is red . ” Such a humourous reaction , from an openly gay politician no less , bring in snatch from me : His wacky approach spotlight the absurdity of Greene ’s own question .
for the most part miss from this political circus , however , was a secure defense of diverse public medium . While Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher thoughtfully refuted fictitious claims , they did not make a clear case for the importance of feature divers articulation and news report .
To be clear : I intend no shade to either of these public culture medium leaders , as they were put in a very difficult position . However , I highlight a broader topic : We must do more than respond to imitation claim ; we must proactively reshape the story to make our sheath for diversity in public medium and asylum .
I ’ll say it cheap and lofty : pull performing artist belong on public video , in public libraries and beyond .
Of of course , drag performer are not the only example of diverse artist who belong in public media and spaces : We are simply one flavor of the creativity and brilliance that live among LGBTQ+ , BIPOC , disabled , migrant , working - division and other historically marginalized and resilient communities . And we all deserve a superbia of plaza on bookshelves , in television programing , course of study , report hours and more .
It is in this look that revered scholar Rudine Sims Bishop famously described children ’s literature as offeringwindows , mirror and slither drinking glass doors . In this beautiful metaphor , she acknowledged the need for children to instruct about the world around them , see themselves reflected and step into stories through their imaginations . collapse that all children ( and adults ) are a blending of intersecting personal identity , we need diverse medium to offer multiple points of view . Any attempt to suppress such heterogeneity is not only unethical , it is also faulty and leaves tiddler with a partial account of the world around them .
In my own childhood as a blanched , middle - grade , Jewish , queer and genderqueer person , it was precisely through children ’s books and television that I learned about the worldly concern . While I often had the exclusive right of see communities that looked similar to mine , I only seldom caught glimpses of queerness and sexuality diversity . ( Still , in retrospect , queer authors and characters have always been present , but recognize them requiredskills in reading between the lines . )
In my employment now as achildren ’s author , I work diligently to insure that characters represent a throng of not only identities and bodies , but also styles and attitudes .
Indeed , most educational and political organisation recognize the importance of access to diverse sensitive not only for untried people ’s societal and emotional evolution , but for democratic societies to function . TheUN Convention on the Rights of the Childinsists that children “ have the right to exemption of expression , ” admit “ exemption to seek , get and impart info and idea of all variety … in writing or in print , in the shape of art , or through any other medium of the kid ’s choice ” and specifically fight back admission to “ material from a diversity of cultural , home and external source . ”
constitutional in these agreement is a recognition of children ’s autonomy — which Greene and her compatriots would rather ignore . Of naturally , children want guidance and caution , but they are also already capable of singular and capacious thinking . It is just surprising that a politician like Greene , who seems to lack such skills herself , fails to see the strength of such imagination and independence . Instead , she essay to bully others to think and dissemble exactly like she does .
What is ironic about Greene ’s attacks is that while she accuses public media , fry ’s author and drag storyteller like myself of “ brainwashing ” children , it is Greene who wants to control creative thinker through censorship . But retarding force can be an antidote . And that ’s exactly why drop back performers go in public education and medium .
As I havewritten previously for HuffPost , drag is not a cast of indoctrination , but a deep practice of imaginativeness . It does not represent “ gender political orientation , ” but an boost to ask thoughtful questions about how and why we categorize people into box . It is an historical art form , rooted in queer and trans community around the world , that kick upstairs self - expression and establish chosen family .
youngster who are prosperous enough to receive puff performer at their local Drag Story Hours — or in book and on screens — come across with them because they encourage forms of fantasy and playfulness that many adult have forget in their own lifetime . And it is that ability to opine something else — whether a different sexuality expression , or a just a fabulous hereafter for everyone — that jeopardise those in power .
To paraphrase a splendid observation from a friend ’s young fry : Drag queens , kings and other mythologic beings aren’treallyroyalty ; rather , we derive our power through unvoiced piece of work and by promoting pleasure and joyfulness .
In my books , baby are not recite what to do ; instead , they are invited to try out young tune , dancing steps , ways of being their vivid self . While hater like Greene might findswishing one ’s hips or shimmying one ’s shoulders“repulsive , ” I recommend she give it a endeavour : kid love it , and it might help her loosen up a bit to extract herself more authentically .
In my forthcoming bookMake Your Own Rainbow : A Drag Queen ’s Guide to Color , young readers are encouraged to color outside the product line by learning the gens of improper colors and mixing and matching hues to their philia ’ content . It ’s a simple enough premise , with a goal to celebrate the peach in the world around us . And yet , I energize myself for whatever nefarious interpretation critic like Greene might put up , as well as the unfortunate likeliness that in a finish in whichrainbow flags are being banned , it too will confront Holy Scripture ban .
Many of the current attacks on artwork and education are absurd and nonsensical — but , much like the artwork of retarding force , that hardly means we should not take them severely . Since those currently in power claim to supportfreedomwhen , in fact , they promotefascism , it is no surprisal that they attempt to eradicate public institutions and artwork form that advertize freedom of thought and expression . We ’ve take in that show , and its finale does n’t end well .
But it is up to all of us to remember that politicians like Greene and President Donald Trump are not queen or kings — they ’re bullies . And you never cave in to a bully : Instead , you outfox them , show them the error of their ways and prompt them that it ’s more play on your side . So , it ’s sentence to stand our ground : not onlyagainsthomophobia , transphobia and censoring , butfordiverse public media , libraries , school and other institutions .
It just so happen that one of the best ways to do so is to tap into our inner retarding force queens , get in formation to snap back , stomp our way through the street — and crush the real monster .
This article earlier appeared onHuffPostin April 2025 .
