Conservatives love to insist all drag artists are sex offenders targeting children in order to pass anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but the evidence indicates those assertions are very much false.
Attorney Kristen Browde has been using her TikTok to document arrests and convictions for sex crimes against children in Florida. The trends she found absolutely do not point to drag performers or transgender people—more like youth pastors and politicians, the very people targeting the LGBTQ+ community and mislabeling them "groomers."
Browde started out with a single video cataloging the prior week's arrests for sex crimes against children.
@newgirlny_fl Things you won’t hear from LibsofTikTok or #rondesantis #trans #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #mtf #lgbtq #lgbt #🏳️⚧️ #rainbowmafia
In the comments, several people called for Browde to make the video into a series.
walkinggirl2024/TikTok
Heather Hathcock48/TikTok
Others emphasized how important this data is.
Dragonfly2208/TikTok
Danny Watson/TikTok
Browde also makes videos about other issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
In light of Florida legislation that defines drag shows as a "serious danger to public health & safety" for children, Browde had a question for the Republicans who actually care about things like small government and fiscal responsibility.
When are they going to get involved and stop their cohort from wasting time and money targeting the LGBTQ+ community?
You can see that video here:
@newgirlny_fl #floridaman turns out to be the #republican majority in the #florida legislature #drag #trans #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #mtf #lgbtq #lgbt #🏳️⚧️ #rainbowmafia
Many people have apparently tried to discredit Browde by asking how she knows the offenders didn't do drag performances.
She had a ready answer for them too — there is no way conservative media would be silent about it if there were documented proof of them being drag performers or transgender people.
@newgirlny_fl Replying to @eric_of_the_north you asked. But how do you prove a negative? ###trans #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #mtf #lgbtq #lgbt #🏳️⚧️ #rainbowmafia #christian
Browde listened to the calls to turn the video into a weekly series and week 2 still didn't have any drag queens or trans people.
@newgirlny_fl Replying to @walkinggirl2024 in 2 weeks that’s 18 #christian pastors, 1 bishop, 1 rabbi and zero #dragqueen zero #trans criminals #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #mtf #lgbtq #lgbt #🏳️⚧️ #rainbowmafia
This week marked 3 weeks of Browde's series and still no drag queens or transgender people on the list.
There have been a whole lot of Christian church officials though.
@newgirlny_fl (null)
In response to someone insisting she was just being anti-Christian, Browde replied with more facts.
@newgirlny_fl Replying to @charlottenc280560 Right wingers are in a tizzy because the statistics. 14 out of 17 sex crimes last week involved pastors. #Trans #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #mtf #lgbtq #lgbt #🏳️⚧️ #rainbowmafia
While Browde is far from the only voice pointing out the right's focus on drag performers and trans people is an intentional deflection, it's hard to argue with the numbers she's tracking.