Instinct recently reported on a lawsuit filed in Houston, Texas, last Friday by a group of anti-LGBTQ people opposing Drag Queen Story at a public library in the gay-centric neighborhood of Montrose.
The group, who have in the past opposed marriage equality and the use of public bathrooms by transgender people, say the events are an attempt to indoctrinate children in the “LGBT doctrine,” and violates the freedom of religion clause of the Constitution.
The group also objects to taxpayer dollars being spent on an event they find “not appropriate for all patrons.”
Today, however, Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal dismissed the lawsuit with a short four sentence order.
“There is no basis to support the requested relief,” wrote Judge Rosenthal. “The application is denied.”
According to the Houston Chronicle, one of the haters, Tex Christopher, claims the drag queens are trying to indoctrinate children to believe in another religion he calls “Secular Humanism,” as well as trying to convert children to be transgender.
The lawsuit had named Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and library director Rhea Lawson as the defendants.
Mayor Turner told the Houston Chronicle that the legal maneuver was “a frivolous lawsuit,” and added that no public funds are used for the events.
Turner also celebrated diversity in his city.
“We acknowledge and celebrate that diversity in all its dimensions,” he told the Chronicle. “As mayor of this city I want us to be diverse and inclusive and I want to live in a city where people can be who they are and we can be tolerant of people’s opinions, ideologies, sexual orientation, ethnicities, religion and cultures.”
The events are not unique to Houston. Drag Queen Story Hours have taken place all over the country as part of an effort to inspire children to read and offer an array of role models.
Many children see the drag queens as “larger than life” characters who aren’t afraid to bring the stories to life.
