Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

Tennessee University Cancels Drag Event for Mocking Christianity, ‘Disturbing’ Content With Kids

Photo by Alexander Grey/Unsplash
Photo by Alexander Grey/Unsplash
Share Tweet
By Talia Wise

September 9, 2022

A Tennessee university president has canceled future drag shows that were previously held on campus, citing “disturbing” content that targeted minors and mocked Christians. 

President Phil Oldham of Tennessee Tech University (TTU) issued a statement after a video of a drag show held on campus went viral on Twitter. 

Listen to the latest episode of CBN’s Quick Start podcast 👇

“I am disturbed and dismayed about the activities in a video circulating on social media from a recent event on Tennessee Tech’s campus,” he wrote. 

“I do not feel the activities in the video represent Tech’s values, and I do not condone explicit activity where minors are present,” he added. “I also am offended by disparaging mockery toward any religious group.”

TTU frequently hosted drag shows at Backdoor Playhouse theater and advertised them to all ages.

But a video posted on Twitter by child protection advocate Landon Starbuck went viral and caught the attention of the school’s president. 

“These all-ages drag shows have been going on for a long time now on campus,” she wrote.

According to the DailyWire, a man dressed as a sad monk comes out onto the stage to a song that mocks faith. The music changes and a drag performer strips down to a bodysuit. Minors with cash in their hand are seen running to the stage and an audience cheers. 

In a thread, Landon Starbuck had mentioned that the school planned to host another event later this month and told parents who send their children to the school to contact Oldham and the school’s dean, Dr. Lisa Zagumny.

In his statement, Oldham clarified that the show was not a university-sponsored event and it would be investigated. 

Prior events were held at Backdoor Playhouse theater by Upper Cumberland Pride, TTU’s Lambda Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and TTU’s drama club Tech Players.

Upper Cumberland Pride told the DailyWire that the content of their drag show was “misrepresented.”

“The accusations made on social media are not only false but damaging to all those involved. Our hope is to resolve this misunderstanding with the university and continue to educate the community about our organization and the LGBTQIA+ community,” stated the organization.

“No child was put in any sexual situation, nor have they ever been at any event held by UCP,” the organization asserted. “When we hold all ages events, performers are asked to ensure that song lyrics are clean and that there is no sexual connotation to their performances. We want everyone in attendance to feel safe, welcome, and to have a good time.”

University alumni, parents, and students commented on the controversy saying:

“I’m a TTU alum and a Cookeville native. I’m also a Christian. I am so disappointed, disgusted, and ashamed. This can’t happen again,” Alison Hughes Maynor wrote. 

“As a tuition-paying parent, I’m disgusted that this sort of event is allowed to take place on campus. I expect University leadership to take action against those organizations hosting such events,” Perry Anderson said.

Others criticized the president’s decision to cancel the drag shows. 

“As a former TTU student, I wish that the university and Cookeville as a whole had been a more inclusive environment back then. Nothing inappropriate happened in this video people are talking about, if you’re upset about it just be honest about the fact that you hate LGBTQ+ people so that we can all be clear on that,” Jeff Garretson charged.

“Another alumna here…I’d be much happier to see the university actually sponsoring this kind of event as a signal that they welcome their diverse student body — including LGBTQ+ ones — than continuing to knee-jerk investigate a show that makes some gentle fun of the area’s dominant culture,” Kaitrin Mahar said.

Starbuck’s husband, film director and producer Robert Starbuck, pushed back saying he was glad the president responded and is “taking child safety seriously by canceling all future events”.

“It’s insane that we live in a time where you’re branded as an extremist by some if you believe kids have a right to not be subjected to the sexual kinks of adults and the right to an innocent childhood,” he wrote in another post. “It’s a good thing I don’t care. I’ll never back off of fighting this evil.”

It’s insane that we live in a time where you’re branded as an extremist by some if you believe kids have a right to not be subjected to the sexual kinks of adults and the right to an innocent childhood. It’s a good thing I don’t care. I’ll never back off of fighting this evil.

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 9, 2022

***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.*** 

Latest

  • News

    ‘Word for Word’: Persecution Watchdog Warns of Striking Similarities Between Communist Persecution, ‘American Leftist Way of Restriction’

  • News

    Calgary Pastor Arrested for Second Time After Protesting Drag Show at Public Library

  • News

    ‘Gateways to the Demonic’: Pastor Breaks Down Possession, Spiritual Healing, and Biblical Truths About Devil’s Most Dangerous Tricks

  • Life

    ‘Nonsense’: Atheist and Biologist Richard Dawkins Hits Back at ‘Bullying’ of J.K. Rowling, Proclaims ‘There are Two Sexes’

  • News

    Christian Wrestler Under Fire After Praising Jesus, Mentioning Muhammad Following Win: ‘Holy Spirit Power — It’s Everything’


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • ‘Word for Word’: Persecution Watchdog Warns of Striking Similarities Between Communist Persecution, ‘American Leftist Way of Restriction’
  • Calgary Pastor Arrested for Second Time After Protesting Drag Show at Public Library
  • ‘Gateways to the Demonic’: Pastor Breaks Down Possession, Spiritual Healing, and Biblical Truths About Devil’s Most Dangerous Tricks
  • ‘Nonsense’: Atheist and Biologist Richard Dawkins Hits Back at ‘Bullying’ of J.K. Rowling, Proclaims ‘There are Two Sexes’
  • Christian Wrestler Under Fire After Praising Jesus, Mentioning Muhammad Following Win: ‘Holy Spirit Power — It’s Everything’

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?