‘Stunning betrayal’: Child center’s drag bingo fundraiser canceled amid backlash

August 13, 2025

A child advocacy group in New York state has pulled the plug on a drag bingo fundraiser event that was scheduled for August 17 after receiving backlash from the community.

The Christian Post reports that the Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester released a statement last Thursday statement announcing the cancellation.

Critics had argued that the fundraiser, which was to feature a celebrity drag queen, contradicts the organization’s mission of supporting abused and traumatized children.

The center acknowledged the anger and disappointment from the surrounding community and said that it was having “challenging and emotional conversations” with its partners, allies and supporters.

The statement says: “The decision to cancel the event was not made lightly. It was based on a number of complex factors and concerns, including the potential for the conversation around the event to overshadow our core focus: the children and families we serve.”

“Our mission has always been rooted in creating safety, healing, and support for all children and families, including LGBTQ+ youth and communities,” the advocacy center continued.

Commenters on social media had mixed reactions to the decision to cancel the event with person asking, “Why is this even a thing?” and others describing the scheduled drag performance as “wildly inappropriate.”

Another commenter wrote, “Let’s be absolutely clear: This was never about ‘inclusivity.’ It was about boundaries — boundaries that matter when you’re working with vulnerable, traumatized children,”

According to the Christian Post, drag-themed events that were taking place in front of children or were advertised as “family-friendly” have seen increasing from parents and lawmakers who were concerned about the content.

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