Boise Pride Festival drops children’s drag show amid mounting pressure

Idaho’s Boise Pride Festival organizers announced they would drop their children’s drag show event, citing safety concerns.

The decision to “postpone” the “Drag Kids” event comes as at least three sponsors withdrew their support.

SPONSOR PULLS OUT OF BOISE PRIDE EVENT OVER CHILDREN’S DRAG SHOW

“While the vast majority of our sponsors and supporters have voiced their support for the Boise Pride Festival and the Drag Kids program, we have made the very difficult decision to postpone this performance due to increased safety concerns,” Boise Pride Festival organizers wrote in a statement. “The health and well-being of the kids, their parents, and the attendees of the Festival are our priority.”

“Drag Kids” organizer Riley Burrows also said the children who were scheduled to appear in the drag show “deserve to be showcased but also deserve to do so in a safe space.”

Organizers said they hope to reschedule the event for a later date.

A protest against the children’s drag show was reportedly scheduled for Sunday.

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean commented on the festival’s choice to drop the drag show, saying, “The inflammatory rhetoric of the past few days has put a spotlight on the critical need for our community to have a conversation about standing together.”

“I appreciate the actions the Boise Pride Festival is taking to protect everyone who will join in their celebration this weekend,” McLean said. “I applaud their continued focus on providing a positive, inclusive, community-based event where our LGBTQIA+ friends, neighbors, and family members can come together in celebration and community.”

Zions Bank was among the sponsors to announce it would no longer sponsor the weekend event, saying it was “unaware of the events activities involving children/minors.”

Idaho Power and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare also said they could not continue as sponsors.

“Due to programming changes that occurred after our sponsorship and concerns for the safety of employees and volunteers, we have withdrawn our participation in the Boise Pride event. We will continue to support our diverse communities,” Idaho Power’s Brad Bowlin told KIVI.

“DHW’s sponsorship of Boise Pride 2022 has led to some confusion about whether DHW endorses specific event activities involving minors during this event,” DHW Director Dave Jeppesen wrote in a letter to Boise Pride Festival. “To avoid any confusion regarding DHW’s support of such activities, DHW is withdrawing both of its orange level sponsorships and Project Filter will no longer be supporting a booth at the event this weekend.”

Pressure against the children’s drag show largely increased as Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon called for sponsors to withdraw their support.

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“Out-of-state companies promise to bring investment and jobs to Idaho. Instead, they are financing the sexualization of our children and the perverse idea that children should engage in sexual performances with adult entertainers,” Moon wrote in reference to the event’s sponsors.

Zion Cannabis has reportedly taken Zions Bank’s place as a sponsor of the weekend festival.