Pentagon Defends ‘Long-Standing Policy’ Decision to Cancel Drag Shows on Military Base
The Department of Defense (DOD) on June 8 confirmed its disapproval of hosting drag show events at U.S. military installations after Democrats urged to rethink the restriction.
Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the press secretary for the department, told reporters that the ban on drag performance events was a “long-standing policy.”
“DOD will not host drag events at U.S. military installations or facilities,” he said at the press conference.
The comment came after the Pentagon stopped a drag show that was set to be held at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force earlier this month.
The DOD said such events would not be permitted at the military branch’s sites, adding that hosting them is inconsistent with the department’s policy regarding the use of federally funded resources.
“Per DOD Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), certain criteria must be met for persons or organizations acting in non-Federal capacity to use DOD facilities and equipment,” Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary of the department, said in a June 5 statement.
“As [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] has said, the DOD will not host drag events at U.S. military installations or facilities. Hosting these types of events in federally funded facilities is inconsistent with regulations regarding the use of DOD resources.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley stood by Austin’s decision to cancel the drag show performance.
“I think is the absolute right thing to do,” Milley told CNN on June 5. He added that drag shows “were never part of DOD policy, to begin with, and they’re certainly not funded by federal funds.”
The drag show was to feature performers, including “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Coco Montrese, and was slated on the first day of June to celebrate the month as “Pride Month.”
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) described the cancellation of the Nellis drag show event as a “mistake.”
“The [Department of Defense] shouldn’t have bought into that,” he told The Hill.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) also called on the Pentagon to rethink the ban, saying the cancellation was “part of a larger movement to restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ people.”
On Thursday, Ryder said the Pentagon is “very grateful for and acknowledge the many contributions of service members and DOD civilian employees from the LGBTQI-Plus community who serve our country.”
He reiterated that DOD recognizes June as “LGBTQI+ Pride” month. “We conduct special observance to recognize the continuous achievements of all Americans and to American culture for increased awareness, mutual respect, and understanding, to include Pride Month,” Ryder told reporters.
“When it comes to drag shows, however, you know, I would take exception,” he continued.
“We became aware of the drag events during an April congressional hearing, that there were … drag events scheduled to take place at DOD installations and facilities,” he said. “And so, again, the secretary advised that the department will not host such events.”
‘Woke, Leftist Propaganda’
The Pentagon’s stance came amid intensified pressure from Republican politicians to cancel the practice in the military. In May, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) led a group of GOP colleagues in introducing a bill (S.1503) that would ban the DOD from using taxpayer funds or taxpayer-funded facilities to host drag queen events.
“Our military’s mission is clear: to provide the military forces needed to deter and win wars and to protect the security of our country and our allies,” Daines said in a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction.
Daines added, “Allowing the DOD to become a branch of far-Left helping to promote their radical gender ideology by hosting and promoting drag queen performances is a threat to our national security and gross misuse of taxpayer funds. This must be stopped immediately.”
On June 5, a similar bill was introduced by Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), seeking to ban “adult cabaret performances.”
“Drag performances on our military bases are another example of the Biden Administration promoting woke, leftist propaganda,” the congressman said on Twitter.
“Anything that does not help our troops be the most effective fighting force on earth is a distraction and a waste of resources.”
Frank Fang contributed to this report.
