Report: Biden administration funding drag queen shows in Ecuador

A recent Fox News article, fact checked as true by Newsweek, found that the Biden administration has been sending money to Ecuador to fund drag queen shows.

Drag shows have been taking place across the United States and have been a point of contention as some of them have been performed for children. GOP lawmakers have attempted to put in place legislation to ban them.

The article, which was published on Wednesday, reported that the U.S. Department of State is “funding ‘drag theater performances’ in Ecuador to ‘promote diversity and inclusion’” in the country by awarding them with a $20,600 grant to a non-profit supported by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Ecuador.

The article said that this grant is the “first of its kind funding drag performances.”

As per the State Department’s grant list, a grant totaling $20,600, which was reported by Fox was awarded to the Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano (CEN) on September 23 as part as part of a diplomacy and diversity program.

The grant listing on the USAspending.gov website states that the monies, which were available from September 30th and will expire on August 31, 2023, will allow the recipient, CEN, to “host 3 workshops, 12 drag theater performances, and produce a 2 minute documentary.”

The State Department said that the purpose of the grant is “To support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security by informing and influencing foreign publics and by expanding and strengthening the relationship between the people and government of the United States and citizens of the rest of the world.”

CEN has been given $57,200 in grants from the federal government over four transactions, for infrastructure updates to the center, speaker programs and various workshops.

CEN describes itself as “a non-profit organization that since its foundation has sought to promote friendship between Ecuador and the United States through the dissemination of free cultural activities for the community and the teaching of English.”

The White House previous touted Joe Biden has someone “champion[ing] the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans and people around the world,” has faced criticism from conservatives for his efforts to expand equality and address discriminatory attacks on members of the LGBTQ community.