A drag queen story hour and drag show on Malmstrom Air Force Base nearly two years ago has prompted U.S. Sen. Steve Daines to push for a ban on what he describes as “adult cabaret performances” on military installations.
Daines introduced the legislation, which takes aim at “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dances, strippers, or male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to prurient interest,” on May 9. Co-sponsored by several fellow GOP senators, including Florida’s Marco Rubio and Arkansas’ Tom Cotton, the bill would prohibit the Defense Department from hosting or financially supporting performances deemed to fall into the aforementioned categories.
“As Montanans are starting to hear about it, they’re infuriated,” Daines said last week of the two drag events hosted on the Cascade County base in June 2021 as part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month events. “Montanans want answers and I’m not going to let this go.”
Daines said he learned of the events earlier this year, though old adverts for the two performances remained up on the base’s Facebook page as of last week. The June 28, 2021 post lists a 2 p.m. story hour on the base library with goodie bags for the first 25 children in attendance and a 3:41 p.m. drag show at the Grizzly Bend, an on-base eatery.
Air Force officials confirmed to the Daily Inter Lake that the events occurred, but said an outside group — the base…
