As Representative Colin Allred (D-TX) seeks higher office in his bid to unseat Republican Senator Ted Cruz, he's caused considerable concern and offense for appearing on the same stage as a drag queen during the Texas Democratic convention last week. While Allred was the keynote speaker, the drag queen in question, Brigitte Bandit, also spoke, and in favor of hormone blockers and so-called "gender-affirming care" for minors. Bandit is not only against Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) but also against America and ironically is in favor of a "Free Palestine." Although Allred had a noteworthy presence at the convention, he hasn't been very forthcoming concerning Bandit.
Rep. Colin Allred, who hopes to unseat @tedcruz, is taking heat for appearing on the same stage as a drag queen at the TX Dems convention. Even when asked why he did so in footage exclusively obtained by @townhallcom, Allred STILL won’t speak to it. https://t.co/maoPvTXJJd pic.twitter.com/KGJbHA9OTF
— Rebecca Downs🇺🇸🟦🇮🇱 (@RebeccaRoseGold) June 13, 2024
In a video clip of a citizen journalist obtained exclusively by Townhall, Allred is asked, "Why did you share the stage with a drag queen activist who supports sex-change surgeries for minors?" Ignoring the journalist, Allred and a staffer duck into his office, even as the question is repeated to him.
Although Allred has posted at length about the convention to his political X account, there's no mention of Bandit.
Is there a single reporter who has the courage to ask @ColinAllredTX if he thinks drag shows for children are appropriate? He spoke on the same stage as this drag queen who performs for kids, and the media has allowed him to get away with it.https://t.co/fXAq9U4A3k
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 12, 2024
This Texas Democrat Convention speaker promoted hormone blockers for kids, drag queen story hour, and posted "I hate America" last 4th of July.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 12, 2024
Why won't reporters touch this story?🤔 https://t.co/n3ouPNyOiQ
Reporting from The Blaze has some rather concerning details about Bandit and his activism on the issue:
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Bandit – who hosts a drag show titled "Big T**s Bigger Dreams" and promotes the "Big D***s Bigger Dreams" drag show – declared to have "worked with children for over a decade" at the Texas Democratic Convention.
Bandit – who regularly posts sexually explicit photos on Instagram – has hosted several drag queen story hours for children, read to kids at a face-painting drag story hour with arts and crafts at the so-called all-ages "Family Dragtivity Day" in Austin, and is seen on video performing a show in front of several very young children.
Bandit argued that children are safer at a drag queen story hour than at their own schools.
Bandit – a biological male – spoke about the necessity for hormone blockers for trans youth at the three-day convention.
"Hormone blockers that are medically necessary for more than just trans youth," Bandit said. "Gender-affirming care is life-saving. We have a duty to protect our most marginalized communities. Trans kids deserve to grow into healthy adults."
Bandit concluded, "Free Palestine, long live Texas drag, protect trans kids, and happy Pride Month, everybody."
School choice advocate Corey DeAngelis took note of Bandit's speech at the convention and included a screenshot of Bandit doubling down on such remarks, with explicit language.
"My heart aches especially for our trans children," Bandit mentioned at one point, lamenting a lack of access to "hormone blockers that are medically necessary for more than just trans youth."
"Gender-affirming care is life-saving! Access to health care is a basic human right! These policies disproportionately affect LGBTQIA+ youth and people of color! We have a duty to protect our most marginalized communities. Trans kids deserve to grow into healthy adults," Bandit continued in the clip.
"Hormone blockers that are medically necessary for more than just trans youth. Gender affirming care is life-saving. We have a duty to protect our most marginalized communities. Trans kids deserve to grow into healthy adults." pic.twitter.com/joYDQiHLSs
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 8, 2024
Response from Texas Democrat Convention speaker: pic.twitter.com/uHm1EXtBRI
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) June 8, 2024
The so-called "gender-affirming care" that is supposed to be "life-saving" involves hormone and puberty blockers, which cause a whole host of health problems, as well as genital mutilation and sterilization. The tide is also turning against such "care" for children around the world, as Madeline has covered.
Libs of TikTok also highlighted how Bandit posted "I hate America" on the 4th of July.
The drag queen who was a featured speaker at the Texas Democratic Convention who defended s*x change surgeries and drag for kids says she hates America.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 9, 2024
This is who Democrats invited to represent them.
Is anyone surprised? pic.twitter.com/o8uS2VyyqF
Curiously, of the dozens of posts the Texas Democrats have made from its X account since the convention took place, none include clips or even reference to Bandit.
A pinned post from the account references how their platform "Expands rights of LGBTQ+ Texans and their families." The state party even promotes how it is against school choice, as it posted an article from CBS News about how its platform "supports guaranteed right to abortion, opposes school choice."
This weekend, Texas Democrats united in El Paso and unanimously passed a new platform that promotes a Texas of fairness, equity, and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/k5keCqVGAn
— Texas Democrats (@texasdemocrats) June 12, 2024
NEW: Texas Democratic platform supports guaranteed right to abortion, opposes school choicehttps://t.co/fsdeF0IRe7
— Texas Democrats (@texasdemocrats) June 10, 2024
Bandit posted a lengthy thread on Thursday afternoon to claim support from Texas Democrats and to try to portray Republicans as "extreme," using false Democratic talking points on liberal issues such as abortion and IVF, school choice, and voting.
"Democrats welcomed me because they know that their party is big enough for EVERYONE. Not actively alienating people that don't align with their weird a**, lying and deceiving Trump cult," one post claimed in part.
This isn't the only time Allred has associated with woke, far-left groups on the issue of promoting LGBTQ+ policies under the concept of "trans youth." As we covered at the time, Allred was seen attending the 2023 Black Tie Dinner in Dallas last October, the largest fundraising dinner for the LGBTQ+ community in the nation. Among the beneficiaries listed on the event's website were problematic groups such as the Equality Texas Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. Fox News also reported last October that Allred "secured $1M for a group that hosts drag shows for youth," referring to the Resource Center.
Although Democrats see the Senate race in Texas as one of their best seats to flip, forecasters give Cruz an edge with a "Likely Republican" rating.
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