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BENEFICIAL HARMFUL

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Drag Show Ban

Background Information
Many states have passed a bill to ban Drag Shows in the U.S, such as Tennessee, Arizona, Florida, and more. They claim that Drag is inappropriate for children and promotes sexual content.
Technique Used
Attack Opponents
This is propaganda because
This is propaganda because drag does not promote sexual content. The legislators use the wording "protecting children from drag" to make it look like they are doing society a favor by banning drag, but they are really censoring and silencing LGTBQ+ individuals. Their manipulation of their word choice is targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Jada Sparxxx (Dannie Hawks) a drag performer states: "They’re not trying to ban drag. That's what's catching people's attention. What they're trying to do is take away the rights away from non-binary and trans individuals and that’s what’s beneath those drag bans.”

Comments

  1. user-avatar
    marina
    Thu, 09/28/2023 - 01:08
    marina
    I completely agree with you on the fact that this is harmful propaganda and that they are targeting the LGBTQ+ community by hiding behind the pretense of wanting to protect kids from a threat that has been fabricated by them. I really liked that you used quotes to emphasis your point and explain the message of the propaganda. This example of propaganda shows pathos and ethos and maybe it would have been good to mentioned them but other than that I loved your post. The explanation of why this propaganda is harmful and spreads false information is great and well written.
  1. user-avatar
    Owen Tierney
    Sun, 04/21/2024 - 20:33
    Owen Tierney
    I understand this opinion, though I do not agree with it. Drag is a subculture of the larger LGBTQIA+ umbrella culture that was born from marginalized communities coming together to celebrate their individuality, the joy of love, and the immense enjoyment that comes from freedom and acceptance. For many, their aspirations for fame motivated them, for others the chance to secure a meal--for many more: a risk to be taken in order to make their life bearable.

    Therefore, to assert that drag is an inherently sexual activity, or would include sexual aspects due to its nature, is misguided. Senator Jack Johnson does not discriminate on any grounds, and even admits that he believes there is nothing wrong with "a woman dressing up like Elvis," but his bill restricting drag because it may contain sexual content is missing a few key considerations.

    Many things are missing from this clip (how many drag performers were consulted when this bill was passed is unknown from this clip, the details of the bill, etc.) but their usage of footage of a drag show in a bar (a 21+ venue) surrounded by adults is perhaps not a great indicator of the "problem" they seek to expunge here, being that the only seemingly sexual moment being the placing of cash in a performer's bosom. And this is done in a sanctioned environment, not one bereft of children, but generally not one where bringing your children is expected.

    In any case, viewers who are genuinely interested in this issue cannot extricate the whole hog from this clip alone--they must consult multiple sources and multiple statements from Johnson to actually gain something substantial.

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