Marcia Gay Harden reveals all of her children are queer at star-studded Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon
Marcia Gay Harden revealed ‘all my children are queer’ at drag fundraising event. (Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images)
Actor Marcia Gay Harden has revealed “all my children are queer” during the star-studded fundraising event Drag Isn’t Dangerous.
The four-hour telethon on Sunday (7 May) aimed to stand up to the rising wave of anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the US, including recent bills banning drag in public spaces. Along with Drag Race legends such as Jinkx Monsoon, it featured appearances from stars such as comedian Sarah Silverman and screen legends Charlize Theron and Melissa McCarthy.
According to the Los Angeles Blade, the live event raised more than $523,000 (approximately £414,000) in donations for several LGBTQ+ charities, with Monsoon reportedly donating $10,000 (almost £8,000) of her own money.
Fifty Shades of Grey star Marcia Gay Harden said having three queer children drives her to fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
“What drives me is that it’s right and what’s happening right now is wrong,” she told the fundraiser. “What drives me is my children are all queer. My eldest is non-binary, my son is gay [and] my youngest is fluid.
“They are my kids and they teach me every day.”
Harden, who won an Oscar in 2001 for her role in Pollock, added that the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the US is fear-based.
“It’s spreading that kind of fear and hatred among other people. I believe this country will fight that,” she said.
The epic telethon was produced by Producer Entertainment Group (PEG), which represents several high-profile drag stars, including Trixie Mattel.
Jacob Slane, PEG’s co-founder, said: “We are sick of it… these bans are not just about trans people or drag performers, it is a systematic subjugation of LGBTQ+ people.
“Through the Drag Isn’t Dangerous campaign, we want to show that drag performers are not dangerous groomers, sexual deviants, criminals or whatever is the latest evangelical slur du jour.
“We want to raise awareness and funds to make a difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ people who are under attack.”
The livestream included segments in which drag artists talked about their journeys into performance, as well as denouncing the anti-drag legislation, including laws in Montana that could even see Halloween costumes come under attack.
Bombshell star Theron, who has a trans daughter, promised she would “f**k anybody up who’s trying to f**k with anything with you guys”.
And Silverman said she would “trust RuPaul before any (Republican) hate mongers”, and that if they “come for you [drag artists], they will have to come through me first”.
