Representation and Resistance
LGBTQ+-inclusive content for kids, including performances, books, curricula, and more, has come under ever-increasing attack, bolstered in recent months by the federal government—but people are speaking out and fighting back.
After President Trump fired the board of the Kennedy Center and named himself chair of its board, the organization cancelled a scheduled performance of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C. and the National Symphony Orchestra. The show had been set to include John Bucchino's work "A Peacock Among Pigeons," a musical version of the 2015 picture book by Tyler Curry about a bird embracing his individuality and difference.
The Kennedy Center also cancelled a tour of the children's musical "Finn," about a young shark similarly wanting to "sparkle and shine," unlike the gray sharks around him. The show was created by Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond, who also worked together on the LGBTQ+-inclusive Netflix kids' show "Ridley Jones." The trio explained on social media that "Finn" had been commissioned by the Kennedy Center, and after early success, was chosen to be its next touring show. "At its heart it has a universal message of love and acceptance. The fact that that extends to sparkly boys seems to be controversial," they said.
They asserted, though, "We will not abandon the kids we wrote this show for. They are already under attack from every side. We didn't ask for this joy bomb of a show to be a part of the resistance, but here we are." The trio have now paired with producers and husbands Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson to bring the show to The Town Hall performance space in New York City next month for a one-night, live-streamed performance with members of the original Kennedy Center cast and a number of Broadway stars. The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington D.C. will also perform, joined by members of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus. To top things off, the show will benefit The Trevor Project, which serves LGBTQ+ youth.
In Iowa, however, a Republican-led subcommittee is trying to stop queer performers by advancing a bill that would make it a felony for parents to bring minors to drag shows or for business owners to allow minors at such shows—where "drag show" is defined as any show where a performer "exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer's gender assigned at birth." That would ban any trans person from performing as their authentic gender in any type of show, drag or otherwise, and make it difficult for families to attend Pride parades (not to mention making it impossible to stage several Shakespeare plays).
One Iowa Action, an LGBTQ+-rights group, is encouraging Iowa residents to contact the Iowa House Education Committee in opposition to the bill. Groups including the National Association of Social Workers, Des Moines Performing Arts, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund have also expressed their opposition, reported Iowa newspaper the Decorah Leader.
In the educational realm, local and state bans on LGBTQ+-inclusive and other diverse books continue to propagate, with the recent executive orders against "gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology" adding fuel to the fire. Department of Defense-run schools for children of servicemembers, for example, have been told to remove classroom and library materials related to those topics, and to stop all cultural observances, activities, and clubs.
Military families at European Command headquarters in Germany, however, booed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his visit in mid-February, and chanted "DEI," reported NBC News, which noted, "Protests by military families against a defense secretary are extremely rare." Additionally, 55 middle school students at the on-base Patch Middle School staged a walkout, reported Stars & Stripes. Subsequently, about 150 students walked out in protest at Nile C. Kinnick High School on Yokosuka Naval Base, as did 60 students at Kadena High School on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
PBS, which gets approximately 15% of its funding from the federal government, also recently removed a series of videos and associated teaching guides about LGBTQ+ identities and history from its PBS LearningMedia website, which is intended for educators. It confirmed to local news outlet Hell Gate that this was done in response to recent executive orders. These "Hidden Voices" videos were part of a partnership among PBS affiliate WNET, the New York City Council, and the New York City Department of Education. The latter has now stepped up to host the videos on a department website and make them available as a YouTube playlist.
It's not just LGBTQ+ identities that are being targeted, either. The "President's Own" United States Marine Band recently cancelled a collaboration with the Equity Arc Wind Symphony, a group of 30 high school performers chosen through audition by the Chicago-based nonprofit Equity Arc, which mentors young musicians of color. Equity Arc said on its Facebook page that the program was halted in response to the recent executive orders.
It added, however, that while the cancellation was out of its control, "what remains unchanged is our unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for musicians of color," stating, "We will continue to fight for spaces where your artistry is valued."
We must all likewise keep fighting for LGBTQ+ youth, youth of color, children of LGBTQ+ parents, and all young people who deserve to see themselves and their world authentically reflected in their schools, media, and entertainment.
Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian (mombian.com), a two-time GLAAD Media Award-winning blog for LGBTQ+ parents plus a searchable database of 1,700+ LGBTQ+ family books.