The 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany has announced it will no longer host a Drag Queen reading session for children at the base library after an advertisement about the event was posted to social media.
The cancellation has drawn criticism from LGBT activists who claim the cancellation shows disrespect for transgender people, according to a report in the military media outlet, Stars and Stripes.
Stars and Stripes reported that the Post Millennial was provided a statement about the cancellation:
“The advertisement has been removed and the event will not take place,” the wing said in a statement. “Ramstein leaders strive to foster a culture based on inclusion where all people are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their political views, color of their skin, or sexual orientation.”
Among the critics of the event who called for its cancellation is Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who penned a letter to the Air Force:
The last thing parents serving their nation overseas should be worried about, particularly in a theater with heightened geopolitical tensions, is whether their children are being exposed to sexually charged content simply because they visited their local library. I urge you to immediately cancel this politically divisive event, and take appropriate disciplinary action against all involved in allowing this gross abuse of taxpayer funding to place children in a sexualized environment.
U.S. military installations exist to serve the needs of the warfighter for training, logistics, storage, testing, and deployment. Simultaneously, the installation must also support the needs of service members and their families, including creating a safe, healthy environment for parents raising children. This is why installations often include commissaries, pharmacies, schools, and libraries. On installations outside the continental United States (OCONUS), these amenities play an even more central role in the life of our service members and their families. Frequently, service members do not have options available outside OCONUS installations due to language and logistical barriers.
“In light of this, it is completely insane for Ramstein AFB to use on-installation resources for rituals like “Drag Queen Story Time.” These inappropriate events are extremely divisive at home for good reason; in all cases, they place young children in close proximity with adults who are intentionally and explicitly sexualized.”
Rubio’s letter also asked for answers to several questions, including how much taxpayer money has been spent on similar events and whether the Biden Administration and the Department of Defense support such activities.
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