Drag Show Identified as No. 1 Threat to Texas A&M Women
On Monday, February 10th, local protesters identified the upcoming drag show “DRAGgieland 2020” as the No. 1 threat to female students at Texas A&M University. Funded solely by ticket sales, the sold-out event will feature Monique Heart from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and multiple students in a one-time performance on Wednesday, February 19th.
Currently, signatures are being collected via Change.org on both a “Stop Draggieland” petition and a “Stop Stopping Draggieland” counterpetition. According to the male creator of the “Stop Draggieland” petition, drag shows “foster a climate of degradation” against women and “promote the sexualization of the human person.”
Women across Aggieland are grateful to the author for defining acceptable and unacceptable ways to be feminine. Since drag queens are well known for their exclusive sexual attraction to women, petitioners aim to protect females from being overtly sexualized by the men most likely to abuse them. Female students across campus are anxiously awaiting the 1,600 petitioners’ next efforts to address less important women’s issues on campus like narrowing the gender gap within STEM majors or redoubling efforts to lower the rate of sexual assault.
Although 32.0% of surveyed female undergraduates reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact since enrolling at Texas A&M (AAU Campus Climate Survey, 2019), these campus advocates have identified DRAGgieland 2020 as the most serious current threat to the safety of the female student body and are urging the university to cancel the event “for the protection of women and promotion of A&M’s core values.”
“We are always pleased when students are passionate about addressing sexual violence and misconduct,” said Health Promotion employee Marissa Carruzo. Carruzo went on to confirm that none of the “Stop Draggieland” petition’s most ardent supporters had previously participated in on-campus anti-violence initiatives to her knowledge.
A large contingent of “Stop Draggieland” supporters are older alumni or members of local religious groups. “Locker room talk and picking up half-unconscious girls at Northgate is one thing,” said petition supporter and local father John Gallots. “But gay shit? I’d be horrified if my daughter were exposed to such depravity at A&M.”
A spokesperson from the Texas A&M Department of Civil Rights & Equity Investigations (CREI) has confirmed that none of the 600+ Title IX complaints made during the fall 2019 semester involved drag shows.
— Heldenfalls & Ring Chunks
