Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has spent much of Pride Month crying about one issue he clearly thinks is hugely important in the US right now: Military bases hosting drag shows.
The military has been hosting drag entertainment since at least the early 20th century. Even the famed comic Bob Hope donned drag to entertain the troops occasionally.
Despite this, Gaetz has made it his mission to end the practice. And yesterday, he took that a step further by introducing an amendment to military finance legislation to codify a ban on such shows.
The Hill reports Gaetz introduced an amendment to the draft National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It would bar any funding that might go toward drag entertainment. Fellow Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee swiftly adopted the amendment. It passed 33-26.
Gaetz later retweeted a speech by his GOP colleague, Missouri Rep. Mark Alford, supporting the amendment.
“I think it’s time for us to do something to make our voice known that we will not let this happen in the U.S. military – woke ideology and the drag queen shows have no place in our military, zero, bupkis. That is not the way to recruit people,” said Alford.
The amendment was passed despite pushback from Democrats.
“I represent the largest military community in the entire country and I can confidently say that not a single service member or military family has ever, not once, complained to me about drag shows,” said San Diego Rep. Sara Jacobs.
“They call me about housing, they call me about childcare, they call me about food security, they call me about many, many things. They do not call me about drag shows.”
Matt Gaetz grills Defense leaders
In March, Gaetz grilled Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III and Chief of Defense Staff General Mark Milley during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.
“How much taxpayer money goes to fund drag queen story hours on military bases?” Gaetz asked them. “Why are they happening on military bases?”
Milley expressed concern and said he would, “take a look at those, because I don’t agree with those.”
Harpy Daniels
Earlier this year, right-wingers discovered the US Navy used a serving member, who also happens to be a drag queen, to post some videos on social media about entertaining the troops and serving their country.
Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley performs as Harpy Daniels. In November 2022, Kelley announced the Navy recruited them as a “Digital Ambassador” to help boost recruitment. Presumably, Navy superiors felt Kelley promotes the fact LGBTQ people are welcome in today’s armed forces.
After the videos were picked up by the influential ‘Libs of TikTok’ Twitter account, Kelley was subjected to a tsunami of hateful messages.
Nevada Air Force base pulls drag show
Earlier this month, Gaetz celebrated getting a Pride Month drag show canceled at a Nevada air force base.
The show had met with the approval of Air Force leaders. However, according to NBC, Defense Secretary Austin and Gen. Milley instructed the Air Force it went against Pentagon policy to fund drag on bases.
The move came after Gaetz wrote Austin and Milley an open letter in late May. In it, he demanded to know Pentagon policy on the matter. His letter singled out shows at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Gaetz is now hell-bent on cementing that policy into the law.
Related:
Navy SEAL who helped kill bin Laden is now having a hissy fit over a drag queen
Sashay away, hater!
We didn’t think Matt Gaetz could get any dumber… until he talked about drag queens on military bases
Matt Gaetz thinks drag queen story hours are a serious threat to the U.S. military and he wants everyone to know it.
Bosch
Of course, a man who had a sexual relationship with a teenager is complaining about drag shows in the military.
Why is it always the child molesters who do their best to spread homophobia?
abfab
GUILT
decrans
Didn’t Harvey Milk also have sex with a teenager?
Kangol2
He’s projecting and deflecting. Typical GOP psychological strategy.
Mister P
Gaytz is the biggest douchebag in a lot of categories. He is just a big douchebag.
abfab
Borderline colostomy bag.
DBMC
Pedophile chicken hawk says what?
DBMC
This is the person children need protection from.
abfab
This case has a face that can tell you what it’s all about without opening its mouth to speak.
abfab
And for the GOPTROLLS here. In short—your hero is UGLY. As are your comments. It’s clear——Pride Month is not your happiest of traditions.
mildredspierce
I usually ignore this particular talking head, but that photo! What a totally off putting, puny, diabolical looking creature. He makes my skin crawl
abfab
He looks like Beavis. Or Butthead?
abfab
On a more personal level, we would have to say that the BIggest Douchebag of Pride Month gets split three ways this year and the winners are @bama, Shavey and decrans.
Runners up include wino and the bloke from Britannia. Sorry, Matt.
decrans
I’m honored. A gender transition taught me about the illogical nature of modern liberalism. I’d like to thank my College Republican who now works as a PR consultant for the Tennessee Republican Party. She got my de-transition story booked in national publications. Shout-out to the Daily Wire investigative reporter for letting me tell my narrative during Matt Walsh’s testimony to shut down the Vanderbilt Transgender Clinic for Children. I also wouldn’t be here without the gay conservative national writers who gave me insight into how to change my career from freelance music journalist to political commentator. May God bless you all.