LANSING, Mich. (Great Lakes News) – GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon joined half a dozen Michigan lawmakers on the Capitol steps on Thursday afternoon to introduce a bill to ban drag presentations in public schools.
“Here is the big picture,” Dixon said. “This is about us stopping the sexualization of children. We should not be having these suggestive themes shown to young kids.”
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The upcoming House proposal would ban school districts from exposing students to a “drag show or draw presentation.” Districts that violate the policy could face lawsuits from parents for damages between $2,500 and $10,000.
Earlier this month at a civil rights conference in Lansing, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said “Drag queens are fun” and “a drag queen for every school.” Later on Twitter, Nessel claimed she said she made those comments “in jest” and personally attacked Dixon on Twitter. Nessel has not responded to Dixon’s question regarding whether she, as the state’s top law enforcement official, would criminalize the sexualization of children.
Dana,
I’m calling out your party’s current efforts to normalize the sexualization of children.
And you have nothing meaningful to say.
So…
As the top law enforcement officer in Michigan, will you join me to criminalize involving children in sexualized drag shows?
Yes or no? https://t.co/53bP6lCziP
— Tudor Dixon (@TudorDixon) June 15, 2022
Dixon’s campaign said Thursday’s move is proactive. So-called “Drag Queen Story Hours” have popped up at public libraries nationwide, and Dixon’s campaign said there will be a separate bill to address drag presentations there.
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Meanwhile, State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) did not respond to Michigan News Source’s questions regarding who “spewed hate and homophobia” at this press conference.
Just walked past a handful of my GOP colleagues taking part in a press conference spewing hate and homophobia. I want every LGBTQ Michigander to know that this tiny, loud bisexual State Rep stands with our community. You are loved and valued, no matter what bigots have to say.
— Laurie Pohutsky (@lpohutsky19) June 30, 2022
One person walked by the press conference and expressed his dislike of protecting children.
Happening outside the Michigan Capitol. Passer-by yells and flips off press conference for Tudor Dixon campaign: pic.twitter.com/9BinPKqrIi
— Craig Mauger (@CraigDMauger) June 30, 2022
Dixon, a mother of four and one of five GOP gubernatorial candidates on the August primary ballot, said Nessel’s comments weren’t flippant.
“The left has brought this cultural war into our classrooms and they are trying to normalize this,” Dixon said. “I am going to work with our legislature which is major contrast to what we’ve seen in the past.”
