Suella Braverman rants that drag queen’s school visit is ‘morally indefensible’
Suella Braverman branded the local Pride festival as ‘morally indefensible’. (Getty)
Suella Braverman branded the local Pride festival as 'morally indefensible'. (Getty)
Conservative MP Suella Braverman has branded a Pride event featuring a drag queen at a school in her constituency “utterly inappropriate”.
The former home secretary demanded Fareham Academy cancel the event, claiming it was a “morally reprehensible safeguarding issue”.
The annual “FA Pride” event, due to take place on Friday (27 June), is a Pride-style festival which officials described as an opportunity to “raise awareness, show support and raise money for the LGBT+ community”.
It will feature a bake sale, face painting, a free BBQ, and a performance by a family-friendly drag artist. A similar event, which raised more than £420 ($560) for a local LGBT+ charity, was held last year.
Braverman, who has been the MP for Fareham, in Hampshire, since 2015, said drag was “highly sexualised… presents a demeaning and distorted image of women” and “does not fairly represent the LGB community”.
She went on to say: “Pretending to children that a man can be a woman if they put on some make-up and wear a dress is wrong, and sexualises the education of children.
“There are many other ways in which the school can support LGB students, for example by inviting a lesbian woman or a gay man to talk about their experiences, instead of this offensive, sexualised and wholly inappropriate action.”
Organisers of FA Pride said the event was set to be “bigger and better than ever before” and asked for volunteers to help setting up the event. “We look forward to seeing our community come together for a day of colour, education and celebration, highlighting diversity, promoting understanding and showing our pride together,” a spokesperson said.
A Facebook announcement of the event has received likes and love reactions, including from local councillor Gemma Furnivall, who said she plans on “going along to support.”
“I’m really pleased that Fareham Academy are showing such commitment to both their LGBTQ+ students and also to promoting inclusivity and equality within the wider community,” she added. “I’m extra proud that they are leading the way in my ward of Fort Fareham and can’t wait to pop round the corner and enjoy the afternoon.”
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