Tampa drag queens open shooting range for kids
In response to negative feedback that some people are expressing at drag events like story-telling for children or burlesque-style shows for adults or being allowed to exist in public, drag queens in Tampa are trying something new in an effort to connect with people in the Tampa Bay Area.
“We really didn’t anticipate that anybody would have a problem with something as innocent as putting on a silly outfit and reading children’s stories to children,” said Threa DaBare-Uh, manager of ‘SheShootz’ a new target-shooting range just for kids and staffed entirely by some of Tampa’s most prominent drag performers, located just east of Ybor City.
“We’re people in the community just like everyone else and we want to have a part in helping children in the community grow up to be healthy and happy too. So they don’t like us exposing their kids to books? Okay, well, what is something they would like their kids exposed to?” she said. “And the answer was right in front of our faces the whole time. Like a big, throbbing AR-15.”
“Although I’m not sure this necessarily leads to them growing up ‘healthy’. Or at all,” she said. “The parents seem to be okay with it though. So I guess this is mostly for them.”
Reactions from those parents taking their kids there so far have been largely positive.
“Sure, I had real doubts at first,” said Larry Whype of Brandon. “But that fella in the 6’ heels is a helluva shot.”
“I certainly don’t want my daughter learning about ‘Peter Pan’, or anything else with a Peter, from those ‘people’,” said his wife Sandra. “However, if they can teach her how to break down, clean and reassemble a SIG Sauer M400 SDI 16B-P with a 16’ barrel and a 30-round polymer mag, then that’s the kind of grooming we’re okay with.”
“We teach them how to shoot straight,” said KiKi LaMeme, an instructor at the range and a performer at Bradley’s. “Pardon the expression.”
“That fella in the 6’ heels has also got a helluva ass,” added Larry, as his wife glared at him. “What? He does!”
“I feel like we’re making some progress here,” said Ms. DaBare-Uh
