156 Comments

Hey, anything appeal to his hate-filled followers.

Expand full comment

FYI (for anyone still following this story, which is prolly not too many). On Friday, a Federal judge issued a preliminary restraining order against the DA and the Maryville Police Department (MPD issued their own blustering "don't step outta line!" to potential attendees). Other East Tennesee LGBTQIA organizations pitched in to help. This is the third or fourth year of Blount Pride (it looks like it actually started in 2019, skipped a year, and then continued, so reports are either third or fourth annual, depending on whether you count hiatus due to worldwide plague or not). 1500 people showed up, and despite the attempts at bullying prior to the event, it all apparently went off joyfully and without a hitch.

I suspect that Rev. Isaac L. Anderson, the founder of the college (who made it integrated from its founding in 2019, which it was until the state forced it to segregate in the Jim Crow era (and it gave a substantial part of its endowment to a local Black educational institute (founded by an alumnus))). MC also graduated a woman in 1875. Anderson was an open ablitionist (albeit in an era when it wasn't illegal or likely to lead to violence). It was a good location for Pride to celebrate in a year in which it had been made a target, and to reflect on the survival and triumph of other minorities, in and through or with the help of that institution.

Heh. MC was also my first alma mater (but I was the child of a professor, so I went to a different (but also Presbyterian affiliated! gotta get some of that men in skirts sportsball team action!)) college for my BA. So I'm a bit biased in favor of Murvul, even if I don't think it's particularly safe to visit at the moment.

Expand full comment

Alas, I have family ties to Blount County. I want to visit to get information about my family. But to do so I would have to actually be in Tennessee.

Expand full comment

FYI, "Blount" is pronounced "blunt" (as in "pass it, don't bogart it!").

"Maryville" is, as errbuddy know, pronounced "Murvul". When I was a kid, there was a business outside of town with a sign, "Murvul Otto Sells". Sold used cars, naturally.

Expand full comment

Now, my family from Maryville, Washington said it "Mare-ville" but probably would have given a pass to anyone who said Murval. Mar-ee-ville was straight out, though.

Expand full comment

If drag shows get you hard, that’s about you.

this also applies to a whole bunch of other things the conservative brain is conditioned to fear/hate/repress

Expand full comment
Sep 1, 2023·edited Sep 1, 2023

the weirdos that used to protest outside a gay club i DJ'd at decades ago would come up with absolutely ridiculous nonsense about what they imagined was going on inside. like huge naked orgies and fucking on the dance floor. i'd regularly tell them to just come in and see but that definitely was never happening. then just started referring to it all as "their sexual fantasies" and suggested that they could fantasize about gay sex in their home instead of outside in the cold (this was winter in Alaska).

you may be shocked *SHOCKED* to learn that 20+ years on the main ringleader has now been arrested for grooming and molesting children during his 20 years as "youth pastor". how unexpected!

Expand full comment

some of the most bright and almost family friendly clubs I've been to were gay clubs, although I have to admit that when I was young and still actively partying, I preferred the seedier ones that you probably don't want to take your straight friend on men only night with the doors locked and no more admission after 10pm.

having said that, I've seen some of the most repressed religious folks at every imaginable cruising spot in every major and minor city I've lived in or visited.

your closing paragraph is as much cliche as it is the truth. positions where adults work with children and have everyone's trust attract people who abuse this trust one way or another and way too many times get away with it for years and sometimes decades.

Expand full comment

Ugh. Youth Pastors. It’s like that job was purposely created to attract creepers.

Expand full comment

youth pastors, boy scout whatever their leaders are called, etc, etc

Expand full comment

Of course he was. Every accusation says exactly what they’re guilty of doing. The opening speech should loudly remind everyone of this specific previous attack at that event, print that out on flyers and let the local homophobic protesters mull that over as the queens sashay on down the street. A excellent way to warn the innocent chirrens and tell the youth pastors that THEY are being watched so back off! Hell, take out ads in local papers asking who are the real groomers here.

Expand full comment

Christianity is dying across the board, so of course these pig-fucking bigots have to blame drag queens and LGBTQ+ people for their own existential crisis.

And the number one reason why people are leaving Christianity? Anti-LGBTQ+ hatred, of course.

Expand full comment

All of the Christian pedos also have something to do with Christianity's demise.

Expand full comment

Absolutely. And the fact that they accuse everyone else of being "groomers" certainly doesn't help.

Expand full comment

Drag queens are gonna SERIOUSLY fuck up Ryan Desmond, and I am here for it.

Expand full comment

For fun, look up the drag performances that were done in WW2. The soldiers were the ones in drag at these shows and the soldiers freaking LOVED being in/attending them. And this was a widespread thing, not something only done at a few places nor something done on the sly. The government was well aware of them.

In fact, they were so good for morale that the government actually had scripts for shows they could send out for soldiers to perform and even sent them material to make the dresses and other clothing, with instructions on how to do it and advice on how to scrounge up additional stuff.

There is plenty of historical record of all of this, by the way. You can easily look this up.

Expand full comment

so so so so many conservative bugaboos can be countered "You can easily look this up." but alas.

Expand full comment

I think they just hate the fact that LGBTQ folk create inclusive communities and they can't stand that!

Expand full comment
Sep 1, 2023·edited Sep 1, 2023

Long question.....

I went to a number of Japanese festival parades a few years ago. They are amazing but quite regimented. In between some of the parade units there were sometimes a few individuals dancing on their own to their own internal music. They were often dressed in diaphanous gowns. I guessed that it might be folks in drag, but who knows. Does anyone out there in Wonkville know about this cultural practice?

Expand full comment
founding

Not like he’d even make it through a primary in 2023 GOP, but drag was good enough for Ronald Reagan

https://youtu.be/ZbBZRnWoPbY?si=9OgnWNtlSGlMtx71

Expand full comment

Lip syncing by Milli Vanilli.

Expand full comment

And America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani.

Expand full comment

And George Santos....

Expand full comment

Smear the Queers in TN Season 100

Expand full comment

Don't these pigfuckers have more important stuff to do, like change the oil in their hair, or count their missing teeth, just fuck off!

Expand full comment

Mandatory: Cue tape of Giuliani and Trump in drag, going at it like [html strike]teenagers[html unstrike] dirty old men.

Expand full comment

It is indeed genocidal. Trans=Jew.

Expand full comment

= Other

Expand full comment
founding

This guy needs a dressing down by Dustin Hoffman as Dorothy Michaels:

"I SAID GOOD DAY, SIR!"

Expand full comment