An Ohio county’s law meant to benefit arts and culture left taxpayers footing the bill for kids to learn “the fundamentals of drag.”
The celebration of “pride” may be relegated to a single month, but permeating the culture remains a yearlong enterprise. For one youth center outside Cleveland, that includes a monthly meeting with a drag performer teaching kids as young as 11 years old how to “creatively express themselves” through a grant program.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Colors+ Youth Center in Fairview Park, Ohio has, “in the past year, received grant funding as part of a tax that allows Cuyahoga County Arts & Culture to give stipends to organizations ‘in the local arts and culture sector.'”
In the case of Colors+, they reported using those monies to work with Drag Queen Story Hour Cleveland where drag queens like Sassy Sascha teach “the fundamentals of drag (makeup, costume design, and performance), youth are able to creatively express themselves in a safe, affirming, and age appropriate way. Funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.”
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The initiative was made possible by Cuyahoga County voters who had agreed to a renewal of a tax on cigarettes that was set to expire in 2017 funding the Cuyahoga County Arts and Culture. That vote now ensures funding will continue through 2027 which has thus far enabled them to provide over $207 million to over 436 organizations since 2007.
All On the taxpayers’ dime!
The Colors+ Youth Center, an Ohio LGBTQ+ youth center in Fairview Park that receives taxpayer funding, announced a monthly session that teaches children as young as 11 the ‘fundamentals of drag’ pic.twitter.com/sJkM7xlFrh
— Ronald Kelly (@RonK3l) August 2, 2023
The youth center that encouraged kids to participate in game nights and Dungeons & Dragons events also offers a “TransYou” gathering inviting “transgender and gender expansive youth (ages 11-20) into a safe space…Attending youth have the opportunity to meet and build connections with other young folks with similar experiences…offered in partnership with the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland.”
In case there weren’t enough warning bells going up about the organization merely putting minors and young adults together to “meet and build connections,” Colors+ appeared to tread fully into the groomer category with another course that promotes the instruction of “inclusive sexual health.”
Offered twice a year with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and Prevent Premature Fatherhood, the class was billed as “free to all youth attendees and geared toward ages 11-19. Across the course, knowledge and practical skills are delivered in an accessible format on topics including gender identity, basics of sexual health, consent, rejection, boundaries, dating, and more.”
According to their website, their mission is “to strengthen LGBTQ+ youth and allies by promoting individual and community wellness” using ” a holistic mind and body approach.” They are “run by two licensed professional mental health counselors who found the youth center because they saw a large gap in services for LGBTQ+ youth in our community.”
However, the reach of Colors+ stretches beyond their community as their courses are offered virtually and they have collaborated with activist partners Erin Reed Montana and state Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D) who spoke at an event in June.
I was so thrilled to be able to speak at Colors+ Youth Center today. My fiance, @ZoAndBehold, jumped on stage to introduce me.
The beautiful people I saw there, the families, the kids, the allies…
Our joy will be our resistance. Happy Pride.pic.twitter.com/IM3TvAV1BF
— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) June 11, 2023
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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