In the stunned aftermath of Saturday’s shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado, a right-wing influencer attacked a drag group in Denver.
The popular Twitter account Libs of TikTok targeted Dragutante, a nonprofit that supports young people interested in performing drag. The post appeared just hours after a gunman killed five people and injured dozens at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs.
Just before the massacre, Club Q had promoted a Sunday “drag brunch” on its Facebook page. The shooting came amid a rash of protests, threats and violent assaults against businesses that hosted drag events this year.
Last month, a donut shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was attacked twice—once with a Molotov cocktail—after hosting an art show run by drag queens. Over the summer, protestors surrounded a gay bar that held a drag event in Dallas, Texas, accusing LGBTQ community members of “grooming” children. Mayor Jacques Gilbert canceled a Drag Queen Story Hour after violent threats. Meanwhile, alleged members of the Proud Boys have attempted to storm restaurants holding drag shows in Arlington, Texas, and Woodland, California.
Scott Olson / Staff/Getty Images North America
Libs of TikTok tweeted about Dragutante, “This organization in Colorado teaches kids how to become drag queens and helps kids ‘safely experience the art of drag on stage.'” The post also maligned state representatives Leslie Herod and Brianna Titone for encouraging the “child drag organization and performance.”
The right-wing Twitter account run by Chaya Raichik has developed broad influence in conservative circles. Raichik reposts content created by liberals and LGBTQ people on social media, often with mocking or derogatory commentary. Many of her posts feature videos or images of LGBTQ people in education, alongside comments that accuse them of “grooming” or “indoctrinating” children.
The account boasts 1.5 million followers and praise from Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has said that it produces “journalism” more trustworthy than The New York Times or The Washington Post.
Outrage broke out against Raichik’s post, which follows a stream of similar attacks on drag and LGBTQ groups from her and other right-wing figures, including GOP politicians.
Erin Reed, a transgender activist and legislative researcher, slammed Raichik in a tweet on Sunday.
“Stochastic terror becomes real terror,” she wrote. “Those dead in the LGBTQ+ bar Club Q only died hours ago. They were to have a drag brunch today. Libs of TikTok is attacking another drag brunch in Colorado and a trans legislator only hours later.”
Coloradoan Twitter user @millipeeeed also leaped to defend Dragutante, calling it a “gem” whose organizers are “saints.”
“Seeing those kids light up in drag makes my heart sing,” they tweeted.
Newsweek reached out to Libs of TikTok for comment.
