‘Sashay away, drag queens are here to stay’: LGBTQ+ community protests the protesters against youth at drag brunch

HOUSTON – The chanting was intense and emotions ran high as two groups of protesters showed up outside downtown Houston’s “Hamburger Mary’s” Sunday in a debate over its famous drag show brunches.

The issue? Whether children should be allowed to attend the highly popular brunch series.

Kelly Nidert, founder of Protect Texas Kids, led a group from Dallas to speak out against it, arguing that parents shouldn’t be allowed to bring children to shows.

“My biggest thing is when they start pushing their indoctrination or agenda toward kids,” Nidert said. “When they are adult and doing adult things, whatever, but when they are having these highly inappropriate sexual provocative shows and they are allowing children inside and parents encouraging their kids to hand the performers money, that’s where I and most conservatives have a problem.”

Nidert said her group would like a ban on children under 18 attending. Nidert said she believes the parents should be ashamed and face legal penalties.

A man wearing a Swastika pendant, who identified himself only as Ron, said his group was in attendance to prevent promoting what they considered to be “pedophilia to children.”

“What person in their right mind would decide that it is OK to go out and strip down in front of some children?” Ron said. “It is not OK for a woman to do that in front of children, it is not OK for a man to do that in front of children!”

Counter-protesters, who said they are all about love and pride, came out in droves to protest the protesters.

They led each other in cadence over bullhorns.

“Why are we here?” a protester asked.

“To dance and have brunch!” supporters replied.

Other chants included, “Hey, hey, what do you say, Christian fascists go away?” and “We’re here, we’re queer and we’re going to have brunch!”

T-shirts and signs clearly stated attendees’ positions on the matter. Here are just a few: