Alleged threats cause Texas venue to cancel drag show performances

File/ Pixabay

After footage of a child at one of their drag shows went viral, a venue located in the San Antonio area has canceled its remaining drag show performances for this year citing that it was bullied with threats. 

The event was called “The Island of Misfit Toys Drive and Drag show” and was put on by the BIPOC alternative drag troupe House of Eternas. The event was held at Starlighter, a live music venue in San Antonio, and was hosted by someone who identifies as “Miss Taint”. All ages were welcomed at the event and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was screened. 

Footage of the event went viral and was met with controversy online after many criticized it and the inclusion of a young girl in the audience. Footage shows the young girl interacting with the drag queens. South Dakota State Republican Executive Committeewoman Christin Bentley tweeted that the video was, “one of the sickest, most difficult videos to watch of them all”. 

Earlier this week, The Starlighter released a statement in which they explained how threats led to the cancellation of any remaining all-ages drag show toy drives for 2022. 

“Unfortunately, we’re now being made to feel unsafe in our own space. We’re being bullied and threatened by both online and comments, reviews [and] tweets” said the establishment in the statement. “For the safety of our queens, staff, and patrons we’re canceling all of the drag events for the remainder of the year. This was a decision made between the queens and the Starlighter owners as a safety measure [and] nothing more” 

They then further explained that the child was never left unattended like claimed before and that the girl was the child of one of their food vendors who were right outside. The parent of the child posted something that night to thank the queens for treating her daughter like a niece, as they are both familiar with the staff and queens. 

This cancelation of the shows follows controversy and proposed legislation questioning the ability of children to attend drag shows.