By DAN FAGAN
What children need today is more exposure to drag queens is the subject of an upcoming event put on by the taxpayer-funded Alaska Humanities Forum.
The April 5 event at Williwaw Social in Anchorage is titled: “Kids need to be around more drag queens, and other ways to make the world a better, safer, place.”
The speaker, Kendra Arciniega, describes herself as a culture-focused creative, community organizer, storyteller, producer/showrunner of Arciniega productions.”
Arciniega productions produces and hosts mostly drag queen shows that are sexually charged in nature. Arciniega is also a drag queen performer.
The Alaska Humanities Forum website promoting the upcoming event features Arciniega describing herself this way: “Together with her wife Mercedes, she produces local community-building entertainment that focuses on Latine, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ artists and their respective community intersections. Much of Arciniega’s programming is developed to include queer youth, families, and allies in meaningful ways to promote more unity and safe spaces in Anchorage – and yes, that includes family friendly drag shows.”
The Alaska Humanities Forum received more than $2.1 million in 2021, according to the nonprofit’s IRS 990 form. Most of the money came from taxpayers. Corporations and individuals donated less than $100,000 of the $2.1 million.
Anchorage Assembly member Kameron Perez-Verdia is the president and CEO of the Alaska Humanities Forum. He’s paid $176,306 in salary and benefits annually.
Emily Edenshaw, one of 20 board members for the nonprofit, is also Executive Director of the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Edenshaw hosted a drag queen story hour at the Alaska Native Heritage Center last year.
A video of that show reveals drag queens making sexually suggestive dance moves and asking toddlers about bisexuality. One drag queen told the kids that Alaska Natives originally did not have a word for gender.
The nonprofit sector has become big business and a fertile dumping ground for taxpayer dollars. It’s especially true in Alaska.
Close to 10,000 people work in the nonprofit sector in Alaska, according to the watchdog organization, Tax Exempt World, which reports there are 8,631 nonprofits in Alaska, taking in more than $10 billion annually. Most of that money comes from taxpayers through one avenue or another. Alaska nonprofits currently have more than $20 billion in assets, according to the group.
Nationally, 80 percent of all nonprofit revenue comes from taxpayers, according to Zippia.com. Total revenue of nonprofits in the United States last year was close to $2.6 trillion, a number that has doubled in the past 10 years.
Dan Fagan is a reporter for Must Read Alaska. Email [email protected].
EVIL
Kendra is a dude?!
Looks like it.
Kendra is not a dude
She is a biological woman.
Mr Fagan and Ms Downing need to do a little research prior to writing opinion pieces like this
Yo Pablo. Nobody needs to do any research on social parasites attempting to groom children into a life of deviance and disease. Whatever Kendra is, Kendra is a social pariah in all settings outside the perverse and rightfully so. You are likely one of the only individuals here with an interest in Kendra’s plumbing.
Yo Trouser Bark,
I don’t care about anyone’s plumbing, whether it is yours, Mr Fagan’s, Ms Downing, Kendra’s or any other person other than my significant other.
What I care about is factual reporting and researched opinions. My comment was to correct a statement made by Mr Fagan as fact that Kendra is a drag queen which implies that SHE is a DUDE when that is not true according to Kendra herself.
What Kendra does with her business is, wait for it, her business. Whether you like it or not, it is not your place to tell her how she runs her business.
I feel the same way when it comes to those who cite religious beliefs when not wanting to provide services to others. If their business can afford to turn away paying customers, then let them do exactly that. If they can succeed like that, more power to them, but I don’t want to hear about them failing because they cant get enough customers.
‘Whether you like it or not, it is not your place to tell her how she runs her business.’
I can agree with you making that statement except for the fact that Kendra is trying to include kids and tax dollars into ‘her business’. Including underage kids into the show or into the audience of a sexuallized show is an actual criminal action. And just plane creepy. And the moment Kendra’s group touched tax money, the content of her business became fair game for public discussion.
Factual reporting and researched opinions you say? This is an article about a parasite on the tax roles pretending that ostentatious homosexuality is cultural and that the world will be a better place if parents bringing their kids to watch them prance around.
The disingenuous component started far prior to Fagan picking up a pencil.
Paul,
Kendra does not bring the kids to the shows, the kids own parents bring them there. And if you are so mad about tax dollars going to her that you make it your business, then can I make it my business because I disagree with Catholic Social Services receiving tax dollars? No religious institution should get any sort of tax dollars. period.
And Kendra doesn’t even work for a nonprofit or the state so I don’t know how she is getting some of our tax dollars.
Trouser Bark,
She ain’t a “parasite on the tax rolls” as she doesn’t work for the state/city and runs her own private business that pays the city taxes. Those kids going to the shows she hosts in her private business are not just walking in unaccompanied, their parents are bringing them there. Just because you disagree with her lifestyle does not mean you get to dictate what she does with her business. You don’t have to go there and you avoid the situation completely.
The sticking point, right now, with drag shows is not that they exist. As pointed out many times over, there is a long history of drag shows in the entertainment world. The problem is when these shows are held out in public.
Forget about the accusations about being LGBT political footballs or attempts at grooming. What if straight women were dressed the same way, dancing the same way, out in a public park. Any person, no matter the age, that is in the park is going to see at least moments of the show. This means grandparents all the way down to toddlers. Since strip clubs are legal in Alaska, the only laws broken here would be the placement of the venue. Correct? So, to answer your point that Kendra doesn’t bring kids to the show, she does, if she supports these kinds of public acts. If the act is in a public area, how would a parent stop a child from seeing the show if they happen to be in that park. I do agree that some parents can and do bring their children to events that I would NEVER bring a child. But it’s their legal right, as a parent, to screw up their child as they see fit.
Shocker here, but I agree with you that religious organizations should not receive tax dollars. But they should also be free of government regs to support their own causes.
Arciniega Street Productions is a for profit company that is being paid with tax dollars, through an Anchorage school, for a presentation.
Oh I’m a lumber jack and I’m ok,
I sleep all night and I work all day.
I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shopping
And have buttered scones for tea
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers
I put on women’s clothing
And hang around in bars
Kids will be just fine without seeing this pornographic display of advertising. This is another event that’s not needed but Felix is probably in the middle of it. Disgusting public display of private matters.
Who sanctioned this sort of production and who stood by and knew it was happening???
Strange, I keep thinking there is something about as wrong as it can get and then something like this comes along.
Safe for whom? Better How?
The level of justification here is disgusting.
Nothing says a better world than sexualized performances for children by disturbed men.
Sick.
You can’t make this sh*t up. Further, it doesn’t spontaneously just happen. Obviously these events are planned and funded and foisted upon society for some purpose. Pretty sure the whack jobs dancing and prancing in girly outfits in front of children haven’t a clue. What is behind this unnatural stuff and for what reason?
This is just wrong and totally disgusting. You want have a drag queen get together go have it indoors, maybe at Mad Myrna’s. Hang with people who enjoy it and leave the kids and the rest of us out of it.
These people are completely Mentally ill . And anyone else who partakes in such an event is Clearly Mentally ill and sick. Seriously, where is this all coming from, and how is this even possible with out some serious charges being brought to these deviant and sadistic Screwballs. This has to be orchestrated by some people with power, who are all these people, they need exposed, all of them, they all need their names out in print and put on a sex predator list, The people really need to push back in mass and clearly say just flat out and make a statement that this is not gonna happen here, hell seriously, what would it take maybe 500 , 1000, or 5000 people to show up to these events and clearly state, It’s not gonna happen here. Any officials or police that would allow this garbage to go un challenged, or they themselves are either the biggest cowards on the face of the earth , or they themselves are sick and mentally ill aswell. This is not at all normal behavior, this is clearly sexual child abuse and last I knew it was against the law! It’s time for the Masses to take charge and Push back, these people behind this are all Completely off their Rocker Gonzo Whacko! You can bet if the same type of event was taking place at a church somewhere, or some guy like David Koresh in Waco was molding Children for weird stuff, the feds would be busting the walls down to get in there and stop it, so why in the hell is this perverted nonsense not treated the same way or worse. These people are very very sick people behind all this that’s no doubt!
Do it like Marky does it!
Why,what,when, and how?
I’m not getting the commen sense here?
Story hour at Providence morgue, There will free brochures on necrophilia. Come one, come all. Balloons for the kids provided your local learning establishments.
Good comment, and let’s not forget the fun we can share with our furry critter friend down at the Animal Shelter.
Let’s take these arguments to their logical conclusion.
I saw a middle aged man w/ a furry tail sticking out the back of his pants at Walmart last month and couldn’t help but wonder how the end of that thing was mounted to the wearer.
Is that the kind of Animal Shelter you’re talking about? Something tells me that Kendra would know. Kendra, and the guy that used to be the nuclear waste disposal czar / luggage thief.
This should not be allowed in our schools anywhere in this state. These sick minded people don’t belong on our earth. You guys are teaching our kids sick things. This is totally wrong to have this go on. What is our school’s teaching these kids now days. Us tax payers pay for our kids to get a education not a sick twisted education that should not be taught in our school that needs to stay out of our schools
The events wrote mentioned here are not in schools, they are/where at the AK Native Heritage Center (because drag queens are part of Inupiat heritage?) and Williwaw Social, a bar/restaurant on 6th Ave.
They are warming up our society to accept sin everywhere, including our schools.
Bush flight for Kendra too.
More ways to try and legitimize absolute weirdness and insanity. There is ONLY biological male and biological female. Nature has nothing more to say.
Nature does admit to freaks, oddities, and queers. Seems to be more than usual right now.
Seems so because internet stretches pretty much everywhere offering images. Especially if you read an article about it and don’t clear your history. You’ll get a whole bunch more of those articles when you don’t.
If these drag queen shows are allowed, then we should be allowed to have burlesque shows and have the Chippendales put on their shows. What’s the difference? And how about strip tease shows? Publicly!!! In the parks!
A focus on entertainment based on sexual differences does seem like the main topic emphasizes promiscuity as oversexualized programs in our society; inappropriate for children, or as ‘family fare’. I’m definitely against discrimination, but hype over public displays of sexual attraction, jokes or parodies thereof anywhere rankles the sensibility of folks maintaining personal decorum.
How do you feel about the Miss America contest.
How do you feel about children’s beauty pagents?
I cannot answer for Mrs. N. but I personally think children beauty pagents are a disgrace, and any parent that encourages their little girls to participate should be arrested for child abuse.
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Now, the Miss America contest used to be about a lot more than looks, but that to has devolved into a “stare at the pretty girls” event. And, the ratings have plummeted accordingly. In fact, when is the Miss America pageant anyway? Used to be a big deal.
These are sick disgusting individuals. To attempt to groom, brain wash and influence the most vulnerable segment of our society in this despicable manner is in my opinion nothing less than child abuse. Consenting adults can do what they want, but leave the children alone!
What about parents’ who choose to teach their children tolerance by exposing them to different cultures and art forms through these events?
When did same sex copulation become art?
Is heterosexual copulation art and if so should parents take their children to watch that, too?
I’m realistic enough to know that parents, being humans, can sometimes make bad choices. But, I always hold to the fact that a parent is always the best choice to raise a child. And since we have a Constitution that guarantees personal freedom, I’ll bank my money on the parents, as a group, making the best choices for their children. Other than general rules aimed at protecting children’s physical and mental safety (no sex with children, children should not be allowed to drink, etc) the government has little to say. But within it’s bounds, I expect the government to do all in it’s powers to allow each child to reach a healthy adulthood.
Paul-that’s great. Thank you. Glad you are behind government healthcare for all children. And regulated child-care to encouage proper developmental growth across the population, and to provide consistant support in lieu of parents who work. Love that you are in support of school funding levels meeting the educational needs of all children.
So that group of parents that disagree with the event need to not give the event any attention. And definetly don’t take their kids.
Again, I support the arts. Glad my tax dollars do too.
Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Maureen. Notice that when I pointed out the laws regarding child safety it highlighted that very few are directed to each individual child. ‘Government healthcare for all children’ is and needs to remain general rules such as certain vaccinations if attending schools. And sorry, but the government (and tax dollars) are not in the business of providing child care. That’s a parental responsibility. The only exceptions would be some type emergency benefit, such as for a period of time after a loss of a spouse.
Surprise! I do actually support proper school funding. But there needs to be positive results in return for that funding. Alaska is good example of how NOT to fund schools, at the moment. In spite of a high dollar per student allocation, the resulting ‘product’ quality keeps decreasing. Simply throwing money into the school budget is obviously not the right answer. We need to come up with a system to incentivize schools and individual teachers to turn out better educated students and if not, kick them to the curb. I’m more and more becoming a fan of the funding following the student, whether public or private school.
I have nothing against art in general, but since it is completely subjective, it should be funded privately. What I would support, you might not, and vice versa. So why should your tax dollars support something you don’t find artistic?
Wow! Once again we agree on something! The parents that don’t like the drag shows should just not take their kids to the show. See. We can see eye to eye sometimes.
I have yet to see a drag show that is anything less than PG-13. And, yes, that includes the old vaudville acts, as well as Milton Bearle and Monty Python skits.
.
How, exactly, is a parent teaching a child tolerance by exposing them to sexualized performances that are inappropriate for their age?
Further question.
What culture thinks having men dressed as women shake their backsides in front of grade school age children is “art?”
176,000 doesn’t go as far as it used to. I don’t see what the benefit of exposing kids to drag is unless you’re trying to show them what not to do. Perhaps we would have less drags today if more people had done that in the past.
Texas A&M president Wendler just announce that there will be no drag shows on campus and this is his reason why:
“”Does a drag show preserve a single thread of human dignity? I think not. As a performance of exaggerating aspects of womanhood (sexuality, femininity, gender), drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood. Any event that diminishes an individual or group through representation is wrong,”
I have always maintained that men pretending to be women are the worst form of chauvinism, as their depiction of women clearly demonstrates how they expect all women to present themselves.
This being said, if you wish to hold a show in a club or private venue, knock yourself out, but do not demand to be supported by tax dollars and claim to be “family friendly”.
Drag show are just the modern and politically-correct equivalent of black-face vaudeville acts.
This misuse of government tax dollars, our dollars needs to stop! I think it would only be appropriate for the taxpayers to show up and shut this show down! Freedom of speech.
Once again.
The question to be asked is not “should children see drag shows?”
The question is “Why do drag queens want to perform in front of children?”
.
Drag is (or used to be) a legit performing art. Everything from old theater where men played all roles, to vaudeville, Milton Bearle, Monty Python, even more recent movies like Tootsie and Missus Doubtfire. But at no point was drag ever anything more family friendly then PG-13 at best. This individual claiming they produce family friendly drag shows is like saying Game of Thrones or True Blood are family friendly shows.
Wow, these are sick people who want to confuse the mind of children. The governor need to grow a pair and follow Florida’s lead. Damn!
if i were Governor for a day, on that day, i would direct the troopers to show up and charge everyone involved with indecent exposure, at a minimum. Parents, if they took their kids to that i would haul them off as well.
Groomers.
I just noticed – if you take the “F” out of the logo in the top left corner of that flyer, it actually makes it truthful!
If they just eliminated kids and tax money, I wouldn’t really care much about what they did.
So parents can’t take their kids to these events?
I’m ok with my tax dollars going to the arts.
I wouldn’t take an underage kid to a drag show. I can’t stop another parent that would take their child to one. But the government has the responsibility to allow children to reach adulthood safely. And even though they are not in a position to raise each individual child, the overall position of government entities should be basic ‘safe’ rules for children. We have these in place now and no one seems to have a problem with them. Rules such as no drinking, no sex with children, required basic education, not allowed to enter into legal contracts. In the later years we have had to add rules such as mandatory helmets and child safety seats. These rules are in place to protect children until they reach an age where they become responsible for their own choices. I guess we haven’t had a need for a ‘no child in a drag show’ rule because it wouldn’t have been an issue until recently.
Also, I’m that curmudgeon that doesn’t believe that tax dollars should fund the arts.
Then you send your tax dollars to the arts. I do not want mine going there.
I would have never been allowed around this when I was a child. The world has gone completely insane.
Does anyone remember that disgusting song sung by a queer choir a few years back? The one with the lyrics, “We’re coming for your children.” That’s their ultimate goal.
I don’t care about drag shows for adults. If grown men want to dress up like women and make a mockery of themselves and women through obscene caricaturizarion, that’s their right. But when these sexually charged shows are strategically targeted at confusing and grooming children, they have crossed the line.
When that line is crossed, we the people have the right to peaceful assembly and to voice our thoughts and ideas to performers, venue owners and attendees. This planned sexual assault on the minds of our children is wrong and should not be allowed to proceed without lawful resistance.
Sadly, in exercising our constitutional rights these days, it’s imperative to have a few people who can help defend against physical attacks, as the “tolerant, loving” people on the left are prone to violence when they’re ideologies and agendas and are challenged in any way.
Not left or right nor even in the middle. It’s just plain indecent and does nothing to contribute to the welfare of our society.
Pretty much defined church-based abusers in your second and third sentences.
I’ll admit to child abusers in religious positions if you admit to child abusers that have nothing to do with religion.
Either child abuser needs to be dealt with severely.
Paul how many kids have been sexually assaulted by drag queens? Do you know of any? In Alaska?
How many kids have been sexually assaulted by a church member in a church or on a church event? Catholics hit hard. Baptists dealing with it now. I’ve worked with a number of such victims in Alaska. Adults assaulted as children by their church person.
For some reason the multitude of ‘Christians’ on this site are after the drag queens. Even though the inherent power structure of their sect of ‘Christianity’ is why there is so much abuse by church people within their own house of worship. Yes, it IS their religion has everything to do with abuse. And abuse of the most vulnerable. Kids.
The plank in their own eye.
Consider that it may be a case of ‘going where there is a target rich environment’. If you want to victimize children does it make more sense to work in an office or in a school/church? And no Christian group (protestant or catholic) advocates for sexual contact with children. It is animals using the religion as a cover.
I don’t really care whether they use the religious cover or not, anyone that preys on the underaged deserves the most extreme punishments.
Oh, look, a member of the Church abused children.
I guess it is OK for everyone to do it now, right?
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I would call it moronic logic, but there is zero logic at all in your statement.
Yeah it got printed under the wrong comment.
I haven’t heard of a single episode of child sexual assault by a drag queen. Certainly not in Alaska. I have heard LOTS about abuse by church people. And in Alaska.
Do children consent to drag queens? Gasp! No! The adults do! Oh my! All ya adults who condone this, y’all sick and need help.
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