John Carroll University cancels annual drag show after controversy

John Carroll University sign on campus

John Carroll University cancelled its annual drag show this year after an on-campus controversy sparked by a column in the student newspaper. (Emily Bamforth, cleveland.com)

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- John Carroll University has cancelled its annual drag show after a column in its student newspaper sparked intense controversy last year.

A university spokesman confirmed the show will not take place, attributing the decision to the “divisiveness” on the Jesuit school’s campus.

“We are working with our students on new and more extensive programming that will promote the expression, appreciation and understanding of the many identities represented at John Carroll University. We are also engaging with community partners, alumni, and experts to advance the understanding of different points of view related to sexuality, faith, inclusion and respect.”

In October 2018, an editor for student newspaper The Carroll News wrote that the show was a “a flagrant celebration of sexual perversity” and urged the university to embrace traditional Catholic values. Members of the Jesuit school’s LGBTQ community felt threatened, and some viewed the column as hate speech.

The newspaper stood by the column, calling the matter a “free speech” issue.

Senior Leah VanDine was one of the students who first heard about the drag show’s cancellation from President Michael Johnson. She serves as vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion on JCU’s student government.

VanDine said canceling the show does not show a neutral position on the controversy from JCU’s administration and that it takes away one of the campus’s long-standing major cultural events. The show began in 2013.

“Having that taken away from us is so diminishing. It makes us feel ... like we’re not welcome on campus. All of these other organizations are allowed to put on whatever fun events they want and no one gets harassed for it. No one gets an op-ed written about it.”

VanDine said there was a requirement for the shows which shared information about drag and the LGBT community. Unlike other educational events, though, the show creates a space where LGBT students can celebrate their identities and students new to the drag community can just have fun, she said.

“If you’re gay, and you just want to go to a drag show, you don’t want to go to three different educational series first to get to go see a drag show."

The news started spreading on social media Tuesday, prompting posts from alumni and performers criticizing the decision.

VanDine said students are looking into protesting the decision and that she has gotten calls from alumni and donors upset with JCU’s administration for the cancellation. She hesitated to share specific plans because of threats of violent counter-protest.

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