Democratic lawmakers in Arizona’s state legislature hosted a “Drag Story Hour” in partnership with Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, sparking backlash from their Republican colleagues who stated the occasion was “deceptively” deliberate.
“Democrat Rep. Lorena Austin deliberately misled House leadership to reserve a conference room to host a drag story hour with Planned Parenthood,” House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican, stated in a press release. “Use of House facilities for radical activism to promote dangerously perverse ideology will not be tolerated while I am Speaker.”
Toma stated Democrats have “lost the privilege” of reserving House assembly rooms “until trust can be restored.” The drag story hour occurred within the Copper Basin Room within the House basement.
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![Drag story hour at the Arizona Capitol](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/05/1200/675/drag-story-hour.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Arizona lawmaker underneath fireplace for internet hosting drag story hour in Capitol. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group through Getty Images)
A video, which a spokesperson from the state Senate informed Fox News Digital was taken by an intern who stopped by on the occasion, reveals a person in a shiny swimsuit jacket carrying pink and white make-up studying from the e book “Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes.”
“When is it time to choose a new name? Why does someone become an activist? How does one begin?” the person could be heard saying within the video.
Rep. Lorena Austin, a nonbinary Democrat lawmaker within the state House, organized the occasion with Planned Parenthood. Fox News Digital reached out for remark however didn’t hear again by press deadline from Austin or the abortion community.
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Austin additionally helped plan a “LGBTQ+ Youth Day at the Capitol” on Wednesday.
“As legislation continues to focus on queer youth, it is imperative these decision makers see and hear from the youth impacted by policies they pass. It’s also an opportunity for us to build community and uplift one another,” One-n-Ten, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group wrote in a put up on Instagram.
“Hope you can join Youth Day at the AZ Capitol 2024!”
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![Woman standing in the back of a pickup truck holding a pride protest flag.](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/03/1200/675/Texas-LGBTQ.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Woman protesting in favor of the LGBTQ motion. (Yffy Yossifor/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service through Getty Images)
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In a press release posted to X, Planned Parenthood Arizona stated in response to Toma that it is one other instance “of Speaker Toma showing how out of touch he is with the values of Arizonans & their support for the LGTBQ community.”
“At Planned Parenthood Arizona, we are proud to offer gender-affirming care services and provide essential health care to everyone,” the group stated. “We thank Rep. Lorena Austin for being a staunch ally and for their continued support in our fight for reproductive freedom. We will be sure to invite Speaker Toma to the next Drag Story Hour.”
State Sen. John Kavanaugh informed Fox News Digital that it was the primary time something just like the drag occasion had occurred on the Capitol.
“And it wouldn’t have happened had they been truthful and said they wanted to have a drag queen story hour,” he stated. “I mean, that in and of itself, is so inflammatory and controversial, which is probably why they didn’t mention that. So, it was the fact that they were deceptive in the explanation.”