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'We're Queer To Stay': Hundreds Join Drag March LA To Protest Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation
Multiple people in drag take the stage in front of hundreds at the Los Angeles Drag March in West Hollywood on Sunday.
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Ashley Balderrama
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West Hollywood Park was busier than usual this Easter Sunday as hundreds of people descended to show their support for LGBTQ+ people.
What drew people was Drag March L.A., a demonstration organized by the Los Angeles LGBT Center to call out the growing wave of legislation targeting transgender people and drag performers. Young and old walked across Santa Monica Boulevard, marching with trans pride flags and “queer to stay” signs.
“We in the LGBTQ+ community have been fighting for our lives, fighting for self-expression and freedom from the day we were born,” said Sepi Shyne, West Hollywood mayor, to the crowd. “An attack across this country on drag symbolizes another attack against all of us.”
Shyne proclaimed April 9 Drag Day in West Hollywood, which will be observed annually.
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A protester carries a California State Pride flag at Drag March L.A. in West Hollywood on Sunday.
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Ashley Balderrama
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Living in L.A. helps people speak out more
A record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are being introduced across the U.S., with new ones popping up in state legislatures almost daily. More than 450 bills have been introduced so far this legislative session, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
That rush is why Danni Garcia decided to attend their first-ever protest. They previously lived in Orlando, Florida before moving to the San Fernando Valley.
“I think it’s kind of ridiculous that people in other parts of the country are more worried about trans youth and what pronouns people use rather than actually doing things to keep everybody safe. It doesn't hurt anyone to have drag shows,” Garcia said.
Attendees leave notes about the importance of drag to them, or messages to the community, on the art installation by Classroom of Compassion at Drag March L.A. on Sunday.
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Ashley Balderrama
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Coming from a place that wasn’t very queer-friendly… L.A. feels like home to me because of the queer community.
— Danni Garcia, a protester at Drag March L.A.
West Hollywood resident Aurora Sexton, a drag performer, came to the march for similar reasons. She used to live in Tennessee, which is a hotspot for anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently.
“What we are being made of in the conservative press right now is us being vilified as groomers,” she said. “We’re just human beings trying to live a happy life and achieve our dreams.”
Aurora Sexton attends Drag March L.A. in West Hollywood, protesting against Anti-Drag and Anti-LGBTQA+ legislation in the United States.
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Why this matters here
California is largely considered a state that’s safe from attacks on LGBTQ+ rights because of our democratically led legislature, but that’s all dependent on elections. But our locally elected bodies have seen bits of the conservative charge, including Temecula’s city council and school board.
“We’re a little blueberry and in a strawberry pie — it’s very liberal here in Los Angeles — but you go 60 miles south and it’s not the case,” said Cowboi, a local drag king performer.
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Just last month two assembly members — Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) and James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) — introduced AB 1314. The bill would require school districts to notify parents if they discover the child’s gender is different from the one assigned at birth.
Shangela joins and leads Drag March L.A, protesters down Santa Monica Boulevard.
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Ashley Balderrama
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While it’s unlikely to gain traction here, the bill is the first statewide attempt to reduce LGBTQ+ protections this legislative session, according to the ACLU.
“We’re just so blessed to live in a city [and] in a state that supports us, but there are so many other young queer people in the South, in the Midwest that don't have that support,” said Anna Goodman, a queer activist.
Anna Goodman, a drag king known as Dandy Frank, stands with Cher Smith, the sign langauge translator for Drag March L.A. in West Hollywood.
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Caitlin Hernández
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When they look on TV or on social media and see this type of support, that’s what's gonna motivate them to also fight back and stand up for themselves.
— Anna Goodman, queer activist
Easter and Christianity at the forefront
Religion was the focus Sunday since the march took place on Easter.
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The timing was intentional by organizers because of the Christian role in false claims that LGBTQ+ people are unsafe for families. Among the range of restrictive attempts, conservative politicians have leaned on religious beliefs to justify banning children access to gender-affirming care and drag performances.
Eileen Hackett doesn’t agree with those religious views, so she showed up with her partner and two young children. The family went across Santa Monica Boulevard in matching black and rainbow outfits to teach their kids about equal rights.
Protesters hold their signs up while marching at Drag March L.A. on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.
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Ashley Balderrama
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“We are queer Christians, so we go to church here in West Hollywood,” Hackett said. “We’re here to show our kids that it’s OK to be queer and Christian.”
L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who was a speaker at the march, told the crowd about how she spent her whole life in church studying what it means to be Christian.
“They try to tell us that we're an abomination for being here together in support of one another,” she said. “It is an abomination to allow young people to die by gun violence in our schools because they refuse to take action.”
A young child sits on their parents' shoulders to watch the speakers at Sunday's Drag March L.A. in West Hollywood.
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Ashley Balderrama
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How you can get involved locally
If you’re interested in supporting LGBTQ+ people but missed the march, there are still ways to get involved.
The L.A. LGBT Center has a guide with options, including calling up elected officials in other states. Step one can simply be speaking up and amplifying trusted trans voices. You can also stay updated on legislative actions through the ACLU, and voice your support for things that increase LGBTQ+ protections.
You can learn more here:
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