Ei! Tins dey bee happen for Washington, D.C. inside! Drag performers dey plan protest against President Trump den Vice President Vance for ein attendance for de opening performance of 'Les Misérables' for de John F. Kennedy Center on Wednesday night.
According to Qommittee, a network of drag performers, fans, den allies, about four to six drag performers go dey de event. Some attendees wey no longer want demma tickets afta Trump take over de performing arts center donate dem.
Vagenesis, whose real name be Anderson Wells, tell NPR say she “couldn't deny” speaking out. She dey protest because de president promise to stop drag shows for de center.
“Theater suppose be place for community, place for storytelling, place for celebration, joy, catharsis, den e for be open den available to all,” Vagenesis talk.
Trump announce new leadership for de center inside February. He talk for social media say there go be “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”
He san chop criticize past programming for de center. “De programming dey out of control with rampant political propaganda, [diversity, equity den inclusion] den inappropriate shows,” he talk for recent dinner for de Kennedy Center board.
Trump fire President Deborah Rutter, board chair David Rubenstein den board members wey President Joe Biden appoint. He san give some people wey dey ein circle board seats, including second lady Usha Vance den Attorney General Pam Bondi. De revamped board den elect Trump chair. Since dat time, some performers don cancel demma shows because of de leadership changes, den de Capital Pride Alliance move some of ein Pride month events from de center.
Why Dis Matter?
Dis protest highlight de tension between artistic expression den political power. E show how issues of diversity den inclusion dey become points of contention under de current administration. E also raise questions about de role of arts institutions for promoting freedom of expression.
De actions of President Trump, like ein firing of board members den ein stance against “anti-American propaganda,” dey raise concerns about censorship den de politicization of de arts. As Ghana, we dey watch dis events closely to understand de implications for our own artistic freedom den cultural institutions.