CANYON, Texas (LifeSiteNews) — A Texas university president has cancelled a drag performance at his university, likening it to “blackface.”
On March 20, the Christian president of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, Walter V. Wendler, sent an email to students, faculty, and staff at his university, announcing that he was cancelling a drag performance that had been scheduled for the end of this month because of its inherently “demeaning” and “misogynistic” nature.
“As a performance exaggerating aspects of womanhood (sexuality, femininity, gender), drag shows stereotype women into cartoonish-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate womanhood,” he wrote in the email, after stating firmly that “West Texas A&M University will not host a drag show on campus.”
“As a university president, I would not support ‘blackface’ performances on our campus, even if told the performance is a form of free speech or intended as humor,” he continued. “It is wrong.”
The drag show, originally intended to be held at the university on March 31, was meant to raise money for the Trevor Project, an LGBT pressure group that advocates for mutilating transgender procedures for children.
The president went on to say that drag shows are an act of misogyny and utterly demeaning, no matter what the stated intention might be.
“WT endeavors to treat all people equally,” he stated. “Drag shows are derisive, divisive, and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent.”
“I do not support any show, performance, or artistic expression which denigrates others – in this case, women – for any reason.”
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Wendler’s decision sparked left-wing backlash on social media, and students at WTAMU have also put out a petition in an attempt to get Wendler to revoke his decision. Labelled “Save the WTAMU Drag Show,” the petition has been circulating on social media and aims to collect 10,000 signatures. At the time of this publication, the petition has amassed more than 9,000 signatures.
Wendler is also being criticized for bringing up Christianity in his email. “Walter needs to resign,” tweeted one Twitter user, “HeresyUntapped.” “He cannot separate his personal beliefs from his public capacity and is violating the Establish Clause.”
Though critics are outraged at his reference to Christianity, Wendler mentioned it to emphasize why he believes so strongly in the dignity of every human person – which, in turn, is why he opposes the denigration of any human being, including women.
“I believe every human being is created in the image of God and, therefore, a person of dignity,” he said in his email. “Does a drag show preserve a single thread of human dignity? I think not.”
“The WT community should live by the Golden Rule,” he continued. “As a Christian, I personally learned this in the book of Matthew, ‘So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.’”
As previously reported by LifeSiteNews, in recent years, drag has emerged as one of LGBT activists’ favored tools for exposing and acclimating children to the concepts of gender fluidity and sexual experimentation. This is often done via “family-friendly” drag shows at schools and community events, and particularly Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH), a series of events in which crossdressers read books to children, often at public libraries.
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However, Wendler’s actions come at a time when the onslaught of drag shows is being fiercely contested, with LifeSiteNews previously reporting that laws to restrict drag shows for minors have already been put forward in eight states, with a total of 14 bills being introduced in Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Bills are expected to be put forward soon in Idaho and Montana.
LifeSiteNews reached out to Wendler for a personal take on the matter, but he declined to comment.
READ: Tennessee governor signs laws banning drag queen shows and ‘gender transitions’ for children