'Hateful. Disrespectful. Shameful': Mural of drag queen vandalized in Greensboro
Greensboro police are investigating the vandalism of a mural depicting a drag queen outside of The Bearded Goat bar.
The owner of The Bearded Goat has a lot of words about the vandalism of a mural showing a popular drag queen, but the biggest word he’d use is hateful.
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“That's the biggest word I could say is hateful. And uncalled for, and disrespectful and shameful," Seth Mapes, owner of The Bearded Goat, said.
The mural is painted on the side of The Bearded Goat in Greensboro. It shows Brenda The Drag Queen in front of rainbow colors. Someone on Tuesday drew horns coming out of Brenda’s head, a mark on her forehead, and the words “I eat kids” and "save the kids" on the mural.
“That's hurtful on multiple levels because she's such a kind person and such a big inspiration to this community and to have someone just defame her like that was just very hateful," Mapes said.
Mapes said Brenda reached out to him Tuesday night and said that a person sent her a message claiming to be behind the vandalism.
Brenda said it's personal.
"Because the reason my mural is here is because this was the first place I ever did drag, and I consider the goat to be such an inclusive and welcoming place for everybody. But I think what I want people to remember and take from this is that this is so much more than one small minded person with paint pen, right? This is a representation of what's going on in our country," Brenda the Drag Queen said.
The artist of the mural, Jenna Rice, said this is an attack on the drag queen community.
“Everyone has the right to be who they want to be, dress how they want to dress, go where they want to do and do what they want to do," Rice said. "To spend your energy hating other people for being who they want to be, is just not the right way to live."
Mapes said for this to happen during Pride Month is a slap in the face.
“It’s just very disturbing. Very hateful. I just wish there wasn’t so much hate in this world," Mapes said.
Mapes and Rice said they’re not going to let this hate get them down.
“There’s so much love for our community, so it doesn't really matter what anybody does, any form of hate they want to do, it’s not going to tear us down, all it’s going to do is bring us up, make us more joyful we’re just going to celebrate even harder," Mapes said.
Mapes said he filed a report with Greensboro police.
Rice and Brenda painted over the vandalism Wednesday night.
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"I also think people forget drags not for sissies honey. Like I'm a seven foot tall man and heels and things are tucked and taped and cinched and it's not comfortable. So this is absolutely nothing," Brenda said.
Brenda added, "you can bring your hate honey, but we got more pink spray paint, and we'll just go right on over it."
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