‘Very rated G’ drag show canceled after opponents accuse organizers of promoting child abuse

CUMMING, Ga. — Forsyth County activists are protesting after several threats forced a group of performers to cancel what they called a “family-friendly” drag show.

Channel 2′s Elizabeth Rawlins was in downtown Cumming, where they held a ‘sit-in.’

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Activists in Forsyth County are speaking out after an organizer canceled what the group considered to be a family-friendly drag show event. They felt they had no choice but to cancel because they received multiple threats, accusing them of promoting child abuse.

“We just wanted to show up as a counter presence and also say we are against child abuse,” said activist Melissa Clink.

Demonstrators with the Democratic Congressional Committee for the 6th District gathered at Thursday’s county commission meeting. Many of them were wearing the color blue to show support for child abuse prevention.

“I wanted to curate this show into something special, like something very rated G,” said Mrs. Ivana, event organizer.

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Forsyth County officials sent Channel 2 Action News the following statement:

On Apr. 17, the event’s organizer submitted a cancellation notice for their planned event at Sexton Hall, and as such the event has been canceled at the request of the organizer.

Regarding the County’s policy on renting facilities, certain county facilities are available for rent by private parties and groups so long as those persons or groups provide a completed application, pay applicable fees, and submit a damage deposit. As with all county rental requests that satisfy the necessary requirements to rent a particular facility, the county honors the rental policy and the organizer’s first amendment rights to host their event as well as subsequently cancel the event at their own request.

With any private event that is held at a Forsyth County rented facility, Forsyth County does not endorse nor sanction the opinions, policies, beliefs, conduct, findings, or experience of those individuals or groups holding the event. Forsyth County merely makes its facilities available for community use. In this instance, the applicant satisfied all of the requirements to rent the County facility. As such, the county honored the rental and otherwise respected the individual/group’s freedom of expression that rented the facility as well as their decision to cancel the event. The county will continue to honor citizens’ right of expression as guaranteed by the Georgia and US Constitutions.

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