A drag queen called the Florida senator Marco Rubio a bigot, after the Republican included her in a campaign ad in which he attacked “the radical left”.
Lil Miss Hot Mess, who performs in Los Angeles, responded to Rubio in a video after he used footage of her reading to children during Drag Queen Story Hour, a children’s program that started in 2015.
“I have one question for Marco Rubio,” Lil Miss Hot Mess said in the video released by Glaad, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
“Why are you so obsessed with me and Drag Story Hour? We’re simply out here reading books to children, encouraging them to use their imagination to envision a more just and fabulous world.
“You, on the other hand, are out here during a hurricane that is pummeling your state spreading hateful, homophobic and transphobic bigotry.
“We could be addressing the devastating impacts of climate change, the devastating epidemic of gun violence in our schools, the devastating economy that isn’t working for working people.”
Rubio’s ad is part of his campaign against his challenger in next month’s midterm elections, the current congresswoman Val Demings. In polling, Rubio leads by more than 4.5 points.
“The radical left will destroy America if we don’t stop them,” Rubio says in the ad. “They indoctrinate children and try to turn boys into girls.”
Rubio has targeted drag performers before. In June, he sent a letter to the secretary of the air force, Frank Kendall, urging him to cancel a Drag Queen Story Time event for children of service members at the Ramstein air force base in Germany.
“It is completely insane for Ramstein AFB to use on-installation resources for rituals like Drag Queen Story Time,” Rubio said. “These inappropriate events are extremely divisive at home for good reason; in all cases, they place young children in close proximity with adults who are intentionally and explicitly sexualized.
“As I hope you can agree, decisions over children and their bodies should be left to moms and dads serving our nation, not mediated through publicly funded propaganda on US air force bases.”
The event was canceled.
In his letter, Rubio also referred to a children’s book written by Lil Miss Hot Mess, The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish.
In the video released by Glaad, Lil Miss Hot Mess told Rubio: “At the end of the day you work for us and let me tell you, dear, it’s not working. These are some big shoes to fill and that’s something that we queens know a thing or two about.
“And I just want to say to you that you can either stand up for those of us who deserve justice and rights in this country, or you can stand out of our way because we are here to spread joy, justice and a more fabulous future.”
