‘Big Gay Dance Party’ to greet Pence in Columbus, Ohio
The dance protest takes place the first day of Columbus Pride weekend
LGBTQ activists and drag queens are going to hold a “Big Gay Dance Party” outside of Vice President Mike Pence’s hotel when he visits Columbus, Ohio.
Pence is scheduled to speak about Republican tax law at the Renaissance Hotel on Friday afternoon. This coincides with the first day of Columbus Pride weekend, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The event, which has been dubbed “The Big Gay Dance Party,” will occur outside the hotel to speak out against the Vice President’s anti-LGBTQ actions and beliefs.
“Ohioans will protest Vice President Mike Pence…by dancing outside the hotel and performances including DJs and drag queens,” ProgressOhio, who is co-sponsoring the event, said in a press release.
Jay Smith, an organizer for the event, added: “We want to counter that anti-LGBT attitude that they have with a big, positive, loving dance party.”
A similar dance party was hosted in Washington D.C. in last year to protest Pence. Hundreds of LGBTQ people and allies descended upon the temporary Chevy Chase home of Vice President-elect Mike Pence to take part in a “Queer Dance Party” set up by WERK for Peace and Disrupt J20 to protest Pence’s long history of anti-LGBTQ animus during his time in elective office.
In a career filled with bigoted actions and statements, Pence gained nationwide notoriety after he signed the 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act while Governor of Indiana, which drew backlash from the LGBTQ community and activists who argued that it granted people license to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Pence recently called his lengthy and documented record of homophobia and transphobia “fake news” in response to Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon criticizing him as the choice to lead the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The New Yorker also claimed that President Trump joked during a meeting about LGBTQ rights that a visitor shouldn’t bother asking Pence’s opinion because “he wants to hang them all!” The White House denied the exchange took place.
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