A video posted on social media shows a young child giving a cash tip to a cavorting drag queen at a Minneapolis restaurant.
The 42-second clip, originally uploaded to TikTok, was captured during a recent “drag brunch” event at the Union Rooftop in downtown Minneapolis. It shows a drag queen jumping around and dancing to music, and then a mother letting her young daughter tip the drag queen.
Adults then cheer as the child hands the tip to the drag queen. The child also receives cheers while trying to imitate the drag queen’s dancing.
@library.in.the.woods Best brunch ever at the Union rooftop! All ages, all inclusive, all the best. Highly recommend! #fyp #fypシ #foryou #foryourpage #foryoupage #drag #dragshow #dragshowbrunch #gay #gaytiktok #queer #queertiktok #queertok #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #lovewins #dance #ladygaga @ladygaga #dragqueen #dragqueens #dragqueensoftiktok #makeup #fashion #ladygagavideos #xyzbca #xyzcba #xyzabc #abcxyz #abcdefg
“Drag brunch” events routinely occur at Union Rooftop on Saturday mornings and afternoons, with many of them promoted as suitable for “all ages.” The events are hosted by Flip Phone, which puts on drag queen shows at other downtown Minneapolis bars and in other major U.S. cities.
Drag queen brunches and story hours have popped up all across Minnesota and the U.S. over the past several years. Some of these events are organized in part by the local government, as in the case of Bloomington’s annual “Pride Celebration.”
Some states have started cracking down on “all ages” drag shows, including Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis is revoking a venue’s liquor license because it allowed minors to attend a “sexual” drag performance, according to the Daily Caller.
Other “all ages” drag events have been promoted by the local news media, such as Fox 21 in Duluth.
Some in the LGBT community have criticized the concept of “family-friendly” drag queen events. A transgender Minnesotan told Alpha News last year that it is “inappropriate” and “unprofessional” for a drag queen to perform in front of children.
Terrence, who only wished to be identified by a first name, said drag queens are “professionals” whose acts are only “meant for adults.”
“Drag queens have always been in your face. It’s not appropriate for children. There’s a reason they put ratings on movies,” Terrence said.
“Their brains haven’t fully developed yet. Why are we teaching kids about sex at the age of 5? We’re taking away their innocence. I have a problem with it,” Terrence added.
Evan Stambaugh
Evan Stambaugh is a freelance writer who had previously been a sports blogger. He has a BA in theology and an MA in philosophy.
