Some time ago, I joked that it was only a matter of time before Trudeau started toting drag queens around Parliament, probably demanding to know whether Opposition MPs thought they were beautiful or not.
After all, at a certain point you run out of virtue to signal – there are only so many flags you can wave, parades you can attend, or taxpayer dollars you can hand out (hopefully).
Trudeau’s done pretty much everything he can think of, from showing up on RuPaul’s Drag Race to raging to the press that New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs’ decision to ensure that public schools involve parents in their children’s lives is “far-right.”
And so, the Liberal Party decided to host an “all ages” drag show on Parliament Hill two weeks ago.
Marci Ien, the minister for women and gender equality and youth (Liberal cabinet ministers are saddled with very long, very inclusive titles) tweeted out photos of the event, stating: “Thank-you to everyone who joined us for our #PrideSeason Kick-Off celebration, with a special drag performance from the fabulous Adrianna Exposee. Drag is a vibrant and diverse form of art, it’s about expressing yourself and pushing boundaries. From timeless glamour to cutting-edge creativity, their energy is truly unforgettable. Let’s embrace the beauty and power of this art, recognizing its rich history and its ability to foster acceptance and unite us.”
Obviously, drag queen story hour has proved pretty controversial in Canada, so when a Liberal cabinet minister says that we should “embrace” the thing currently dividing Canadians so that we can enjoy “its ability to foster acceptance and unite us,” she’s actually saying something along the lines of “shut up and enjoy the drag queens, bigots.”
It’s not an accident that one of the photos she shared featured a toddler. She did that on purpose to highlight the Liberal Party’s embrace and acceptance of drag shows for kids – “look, we take our own kids.” Which I don’t doubt, but that’s just another sign that this isn’t your grandfather’s Liberal Party.
