[EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been edited for clarity since publication.]
Community members say they are “shocked” after a local bar hosted a charity drag performance last month.
Local charity Survivors Strong organized Drag Queen Bingo, which took place last month at 55 Below, a bar on Broad Street. Tickets to the show cost $25, with proceeds set to benefit domestic abuse victims. About 30 people attended the performance. Survivors Strong has hosted multiple drag events at 55 Below this year, according to online advertisements.
“We literally invaded this city. We’re the best thing that’s ever come here,” drag queen Sasha Banks said at the event. “I’m just kidding, I love this place, isn’t it great? We’re here and we’re queer.”
The Oct. 22 performance included flying dollar bills, a costume contest, and a Bingo game with Halloween-themed prizes. Four performers staged dances in which they gyrated on audience members. One “Lady Kryptonite” twerked on the reporter.
“This is not the kind of thing that we want in our community,” said Hillsdale Right to Life Vice President Heather Tritchka ’98. “I don’t care what the money is being raised for — that’s not the way you do it. Don’t bring depravity in to try to stop some other depravity.”
Sasha began his dance to Cher’s “Gypsys, Tramps, and Thieves” by making a sign of the cross.
Rev. David Reamsnyder, pastor of St. Anthony Catholic Church, said faith should direct the community to reject drag shows.
“I hope that even the simplest gesture, like the sign of the cross can, in some way be a channel for God’s grace,” he said.
Drag queen Astara Love danced to the song “All That She Wants” in a neon pink dress covered in hundreds of sewn-on plastic babies. With the lyrics “all that she wants is another baby” playing in the background, Love danced on and straddled audience members as he handed out plastic babies.
“If you’d like to give her your unborn children, she’ll take them,” Sasha said to women in the crowd.
Another drag queen said the dress reminded him of a high school prom trash can.
“They’re trying to raise money for a good cause by celebrating the death of babies,” Tritchka said. “That’s really depraved.”
At the Meet the Candidates Forum hosted by Hillsdale College on Oct. 24, Mayor Adam Stockford said drag events are “gross,” but that he would not ban them in Hillsdale.
“I would hope that the community would reject it and a lot of people wouldn’t show up to it, but I wouldn’t want to make a law saying that a local private business couldn’t hold some particular event, unless it was against our ordinances,” he said. “I’m as worried about this country as everybody else is. But I will not respond to a left-wing totalitarian government by creating a right-wing authoritarian government.”
State Rep. Andrew Fink ’06 agreed with Stockford.
“It certainly seems like there would be less of an appetite in our community than many other places,” Fink said. “It’s not something I would support or encourage. It sounds like the charity might be worthwhile. But this method of fundraising seems antagonistic to at least a large number of the people in the community.”
When one drag queen asked the audience how many of them were from Hillsdale County, one person cheered.
“The fact that it’s out of step with the values of many of our residents doesn’t mean that they couldn’t find some people who supported it,” Fink said.
Survivors Strong held another drag queen bingo in July at 55 Below. Organizers allowed minors as young as age 17 at the first event, but raised the age requirement to 21 for the October performance.
Multiple Hillsdale College graduate students called 55 Below in July to protest the event. Doctoral candidate at the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship Christopher Goffos said he was shocked there was another performance.
“My family enjoys the Farmer’s Market in downtown Hillsdale, which has great family events and is good for the community,” Goffos said. “We saw a drag poster on a store window downtown. The poster has several men with large fake busts, posing in pornographic ways, and was advertised to kids 17 plus. It was right out there for my kids to see in downtown Hillsdale.”
Goffos used to frequent 55 Below’s upstairs liquor store, but said he will no longer patronize the business. When Goffos confronted 55 Below’s owner with concerns about the drag event, he said, the owner called him a sexist and a racist. The owner did not respond to a request for comment.
Associate Professor of Politics Kevin Slack, a father of five, said Hillsdale residents and their city officials should reject trans-activist culture.
“Municipalities have barred strip clubs or burlesque shows or ran them out of town by restrictive zoning, Hillsdale residents could do the same,” Slack said. “It would be up to the people’s elected representatives on the city council. As we move into November elections, we should ask our local candidates what they think on this subject. Hillsdale residents might have a more immediate impact if they inform 55 Below that they will no longer do business there.”
