Cheers were heard up and down the street as attendees at one Ohio city’s Independence Day festivities were treated to a new sight in the annual parade: drag performers.
Bedecked in star-spangled costumes, three drag queens walked Route 59 in Northeast Ohio for the city of Stow’s 66th annual Fourth of July parade.
Pepper Buphet, Marley Muvarri and Pineapple Peruu walked alongside Councilman Kyle Herman — Stow’s first out elected official — who invited them to participate to show his community that performance art can be a patriotic and fun family-friendly celebration of freedom.
“As Stow’s first out elected official, I feel a weighty responsibility to help give representation to historically marginalized groups and to defend my friends – and all Ohioans – against hateful bigotry,” Herman wrote in an email to supporters before the parade.
The queens’ appearance comes as Ohio Republicans are advancing HB 245, a bill to restrict drag to adult cabaret spaces.
“State legislators are trying to scapegoat [LGBTQ+] people with mean-spirited laws that would suppress freedom of expression by banning drag or cross-dressing – to the extent that men could be prosecuted for simply wearing wigs, tights, makeup, or heels, all things our Founding Fathers wore [by the way], and trans people could be arrested for simply existing,” Herman said.
Given the political climate, Herman said that his invitation to have drag performers march in the parade was particularly important given the holiday.
“We celebrate the 4th of July proudly because we are an important part of the American story – like all Americans – created equal, endowed with inalienable rights, and helping America live up to its promise of Liberty and Justice for all,” Herman said.
Within hours, images of the parade went viral, including a post on Libs of Tik Tok, an “extreme anti-LGBTQ+ account.”
Herman said that despite receiving countless hateful messages and threats from outside Stow, the response from actual Stow residents was overwhelmingly positive.
“The love from friends in Stow has far outshined the hate — proving that Stow is indeed a strong and welcoming city,” Herman said. 🔥
This piece was updated on 7/10/24 to include the negative responses on social media and an updated response from Councilman Herman.
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