Rise in UK anti-drag hate has U.S. influences
Editor’s Note: The following excerpt from PinkNewsUK details the new research which blames members of the Conservative government, and the import of conspiracy theories from the US for the rise in anti-drag sentiment in the U.K. The report was issued by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank founded in 2006 that specializes in research and policy advice on hate, extremism, and disinformation.
It is headquartered in London. By Sophie Perry | LONDON — A report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found, a “loose coalitions of extremists, conspiracy theorists, local activists and fringe political actors,” including far-right groups, fundamentalist religious activists and anti-LGBTQ right-wing influencers, are to blame.
A new report specifically names Tory deputy chair Lee Anderson for his comments on “culture wars” in helping escalate anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
The report digs into the rise of the anti-LGBTQ “groomer” slur — which attempts to link queer people with pedophilia — framing drag as “trans ideology,” performances as misogynistic, and the entire concept as satanic and states these are just some of the narratives being used by groups in various countries to mobilize against drag under the guise of protecting children from harm.
