The Adventures of the AZ GOP, Bigots of the Desert
“Oh, for goodness sakes, get down off that crucifix. Someone needs the wood.“
Drag Queen Legislation Hour
Only two weeks into the new year and nearly 100 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been introduced throughout the country. In Arizona, John Kavanagh (District 3) and corrupt ex-cop/J6 insurrectionist Anthony Kern (District 27) introduced five bills targeting the local LGBTQ+ and drag community.
Introduced by Kavanagh:
• SB 1001 is a pronouns bill, targeting transgender and non-binary students. Bans students under the age of 18 from going by a pronoun that differs from their “biological sex” unless receiving parental permission. This would be especially harmful for trans students with unsupportive parents. SB 1001 also opens students to being forcibly outed by school staff, which Kavanagh himself can’t help but admit while also hinting at conversion therapy:
“Schools are keeping the parents in the dark which prevents the parents from helping the child, supporting the child, and perhaps getting outside psychological help for the child,” Sen. Kavanagh told Arizona’s Family news.
Additionally, Kavanagh’s bill would protect teachers and staff who refuse to call transgender and non-binary students by their pronouns due to “religious and moral convictions.”
• SB 1026 bans state funds from being used to fund drag shows with minors present. Kavanagh himself admits he knows of no examples of this occurring in AZ.
• SB 1040 would ban transgender students from using the bathroom they prefer and allow for a parent/guardian to sue the school if a student “encounters a person of the opposite sex” in the bathroom or changing facility. SB 1040 defines one’s sex as being “determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of the person’s birth.”
Introduced by Kern:
• SB 1030 would categorize all drag shows and performances as an “adult-oriented business” alongside sex shops, theaters, and strip clubs. This would limit the hours when drag shows could be held in the state, banning them from 1:00 AM to 8:00 AM on Monday through Saturday, and from 1:00 AM to noon on Sundays. Because nothing says freedom like banning a drag Sunday brunch.
SB 1030 defines drag as “a person who dresses in clothing and uses makeup and other physical markers opposite of the person’s gender at birth to exaggerate gender signifiers and roles and engages in singing, dancing, or a monologue or skit in order to entertain an audience.” The bill’s language echoes anti-cross dressing laws of the past and would easily be exploited to criminalize transgender and other gender nonconforming people.
• SB 1028 limits where so-called “adult cabaret performances” could be held, banning them on public property and “where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a minor.” Adult cabaret performances are defined as events that feature go-go dancers, topless and exotic dancers, strippers, drag performers and drag shows. This would categorize ALL drag shows as inherently sexual and 18+, eliminating family friendly drag shows, drag brunches, drag story hour events, and outlaw drag at pride.
Last year, Governor Doug Ducey passed multiple transphobic laws. With Governor Katie Hobbs now in office, these hateful bills are unlikely to become law but republicans have promised they will continue to introduce legislation they know she will veto.
In response, activists are organizing a drag protest and march at the Phoenix Capitol on Sunday, January 22nd starting at 1 PM:
With rising hate crimes against the drag community, vetos aren’t enough. The far-right has made LGBTQ+ spaces a major focus of their hate. Last year, GLAAD reported at least 141 attacks on drag events from anti-LGBTQ+ fascists, with at least two in Arizona. In Tucson, a drag show fundraiser was canceled for safety reasons due to repeated threats. Data from The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project shows anti-LGBTQ+ incidents more than tripled from 2021 to 2022. We must reject this hate and continue to show up for the LGBTQ+ community beyond the ballot box.
RELATED: Arizona’s LGBTQ+ & Drag Community Are Being Terrorized. Nobody's Listening. (Left Coast Right Watch)
ALSO READ: Teacher Fired After Supporting LGBTQ Student by Katya Schwenk (Phoenix New Times)
AND MORE: ‘This is Not a Choice. I Do Not Choose to be Transgender': West Valley School Board Member Becomes Target of Harassment by Bianca Buono (12 News)
LET’S GOOOOOO… To Jail
Neo-nazi livestreamer Anthime “Baked Alaska” Gionet was sentenced to 60-days in jail and 2 years probation for his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Gionet, who pleaded guilty in July 2022, live-streamed himself inside the D.C. Capitol. Gionet has a habit of filming his crimes. Last February, Gionet was sentenced to 30 days in jail after assaulting a Scottsdale bouncer with mace. In October, he was also found guilty in Maricopa County for defacing a Hanukkah display at the Phoenix Capitol during the “Stop the Steal” era. Both crimes he also live-streamed.
“No more Happy Hanukkah, only Merry Christmas,” Gionet said as he tore the Phoenix Capitol display down.
Gionet was also a speaker at the white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville that resulted in the murder of Heather Heyer. He’s also repeated the white supremacist “14 words” slogan on his streams and social media. Last year, Gionet appeared alongside Sen. Wendy Rogers, Rep. Paul Gosar, and former sheriff Joe Arpaio at the third annual America First Political Action Conference, hosted by neo-nazi Nick Fuentes.
Gionet was previously living in Queen Creek, AZ with other neo-fascist “groyper” streamers, but recently relocated to Clearwater, Florida.
ASU’s Nazi Student Group Keeps Nazi’ing
Arizona State University’s student group College Republicans United has a long history of racist controversies. In its early days, ASU-CRU’s founder, Rick Thomas, was exposed by his own club members for his hateful ideology. Chats leaked to the press show Thomas’ anti-Black and antisemitic beliefs, he also praised eugenics. ASU-CRU’s openly racist co-founder, Kevin Decuyper, left to create an even more explicit white nationalist group.
Over the years, ASU-CRU has also hosted various white nationalists to campus including Baked Alaska (see above) and Vincent James Foxx, who has called for throwing gay people off roofs. Last year, the student group invited longtime white supremacist organizer and propagandist, Jared Taylor. Days before, they hosted two “groyper” affiliates of Nick Fuentes.
ASU-CRU is open about their hateful, antisemitic ideology aligning closely with neo-nazi Nick Fuentes’ “groyper” movement. When tabling at events, CRU displays Fuentes’ blue “America First” flag and hat. The greater “College Republicans” coalition is also rumored to be affiliated with Fuentes.
According to a recent email by the ASU chapter, the student group is considering an offer by the “Students for Ye” founder, Daniel Schmidt, to host Fuentes and Kanye West. Fuentes has been a key member of West’s newest antisemitic entourage. The fascist ASU student club is holding a public Q&A debating whether or not to host Fuentes and West — Is it a publicity stunt or ASU’s future nightmare? Only time will tell.
MORE ON ASU-CRU: Arizona State University to Host White Supremacist Jared Taylor on Campus and White Supremacists Speech at ASU Attracts Groypers & Pedophile, Outnumbered By Protestors (Left Coast Right Watch)
Tom Horne’s Reign Begins (Again)
Unfortunately for Arizona students, racist old bigot Tom Horne is back as State Superintendent, replacing Kathy Hoffman. Horne previously served as Superintendent from 2003 - 2011 and dedicated his career to fighting “critical race theory” before “CRT” fear mongering was a common right-wing grievance. For years, Horne fought to ban Tucson Unified School District’s “ethnic studies” classes, specifically Mexican-American studies. His campaign was filled with anti-“CRT” and anti-LGBTQ+ messaging. Horne has even expressed interest in banning bilingual education, a critical resource for Arizona’s bilingual students.
His first actions highlight what is sure to be a long four years. According to Republican Briefs, Horne has already removed several resources from the Department of Education website, including information on social emotional learning, equity, diversity and inclusion. Also removed is the LGBTQ+ mental health resource Q Chat (short for Queer Chat) which was targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ bigot and propagandist Chaya Raichik/Libs of TikTok.
Horne’s first batch of hirees is just as concerning. As first reported by 12 News’ Brahm Resnik, new Department of Education worker, Mila Makal, was exposed for sharing far-right and misogynistic content online:
The 12 News segment highlights Makal horny posting on main and notes some right-wing content, including anti-Biden and pro-Candace Owens memes. However, some of his most egregious content was missed.
Makal’s social media was packed with typical right-wing complaints - vaccines, Joe Biden, Hunter’s laptop, the usual. Littered throughout also included far more explicit content. Makal’s “Like” page features several “Kekistan” pages, including “Troll army Kekistan Division,” “The People’s Republic of Kekistan,” “Sacellum Kekellum,” “Pepes of Kekistan,” and “Kekistan News.” Kekistan is a 4chan created fictional country that displays a mock German Nazi war flag with “KEK” in the place of the traditional swastika. His “Like” page also features several pro-Confederacy pages.
In response to an article on anti-LGBTQ concentration camps in Chechnya, Makal wrote: “Pink triangles getting squared.”
Other far-right content includes Makal fanboying over French fascist Marine Le Pen. One comic he shared features a Viking-dressed woman kicking a pig-faced Muslim man out of Britain. Stamped in the sky of the Islamophobic image includes a Othala rune. In another post, he quotes from Revolt Against the Modern World author and Italian fascist Julius Evola.
Also in his “Likes” includes a page called “Goy-ish Memes for the Enlightened.” The cover photo reads “race, tradition, family,” in the fraktur font and features a swastika variant in the corner. The page’s content includes explicitly pro-nazi, pro-Hitler memes.
Makal is just one more example of Horne’s white nationalist affiliations. During his campaign, Horne also hired and defended white supremacist and child molester David Stringer. Makal will be serving as the “director of character” for the Department of Education.
Hello, Readers: Notice any hateful bullshit in your area? Some bigots trying to ban books in your district? Need to identify a symbol or group? Email me tips or questions at azrww@protonmail.com or DM me on Twitter.