Organizers say comments made on social media recently led to the cancellation of a drag show fundraising event that was set to be held in Prestonsburg on March 25.
Kyle May, owner of Open Doors Counseling, said he was working on organizing the event to raise money for a gender-affirming resource bank called “The Rainbow Closet.”
The resource bank, May said, provides things such as clothing, binders, make-up and hygiene products to those in need.
“(It includes) anything they might need to be able to live as themselves,” he said.
However, May said, that, because of safety concerns, the fundraising event has been canceled.
After a news story about the event ran on social media, May said, people started making threatening comments.
According to May, people were making comments about bringing loaded weapons to the event.
Some of the comments even sparked the formation of a facebook group, May said, which centered on organizing a protest of the drag show.
May said community members were showing him screenshots from the Facebook group, indicating people were going to bring weapons to the protest.
“I got really worried that this was a legitimate threat that could possibly lead to some sort of massacre,” said May. “And I didn’t want to create the opportunity for that to happen.”
May said ,although he hated to cancel the event, safety is his number one concern.
“We have to live another day to fight another day,” he said.
May said he did not report the threats to the Prestonsburg Police Department, however, people in the community told him the police were aware of what was happening.
Ross Shurtleff, director of public safety for the City of Prestonsburg, said although the department has received complaints, no criminal offenses have been reported.
“If criminal reports are made to us,” said Shurtleff, “we will investigate them to the fullest extent of the law.”
May said he will be moving forward with the fundraiser and he is currently working on hosting an online drag show event.
“We’re currently talking about trying to do it virtually,” said May. “So that there can’t be a possible threat of violence.”
May attributes the escalating threats to the legislation that has been approved in Frankfort and the debate that has resulted from it.
“I think the threats of violence are a direct result of what’s happening in Frankfort,” said May. “But sexuality is real, gender identity is real; whether you believe it or not, it’s real and we cannot be erased.”