Controversy has erupted in the United States after a video, showing participants of a Drag March in New York City chanting ‘we’re coming for your children,’ went viral amassing tens of millions of views.
“We’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children.”
Yeah, we know. pic.twitter.com/9Tfku0uGha
— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) June 24, 2023
In the video the group can be heard chanting, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children,”
Critics blasted the chant but others say an original chant of “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re not going shopping” was ‘hijacked’ by a small number of participants.
NBC News said, “The “coming for your children” chant has been used for years at Pride events, according to longtime march attendees and gay rights activists, who said it’s one of many provocative expressions used to regain control of slurs against LGBTQ people.”
Twitter community notes users took issue with this claim saying the chant “is not a historical part of Pride” but “appears to originate from the San Francisco Gay Men’s choir singing a song with this title 2 years ago, in 2021.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArOQF4kadHA
“This article is thus a misrepresentation of Pride’s history.” it said.
Brian Griffin the organiser of the NYC Drag March defended the chant saying “It’s all just words”.
Griffin is quoted as saying he had himself chanted “obscene” phrases such as “Kill, kill, kill, we’re coming to kill the mayor,” also joking about “pubic hair and sex toys” during marches.
“People at the Drag March regularly sing “God is a lesbian.”, he said.
Drag march in NYC: “We’re here! We’re queer! We’re coming for your children!”
And these people seriously wonder why society is turning against us?!
SICKENING. These people are doing more harm to our community than any actual bigot could ever hope to. pic.twitter.com/31aEIZH0u6
— Gays Against Groomers (@againstgrmrs) June 24, 2023