In October 2022, The Sparrow & Serpent Pub, then known as Old Nick’s Pub, was the epicenter of anti-drag protests over an 11-year-old drag artist performing at a storytime event. Three years later, members of the LGBTQ+ community across the nation are under attack from the actions of the Trump administration. Drag performers — queens, kings and things — are often pulled into the fray.  

In his second term as president, Donald Trump has vowed to stop drag shows at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which he recently renamed for himself, created executive orders that discriminate against transgender people and women, and has terminated DEI programs. 

Yet in Eugene, drag queens and hosts of drag events say that despite past protests and the current tense political climate, their experiences are still positive. They perform at a variety of venues, as Eugene no longer has an LGBTQIA+ bar.

Emily Chappell, the owner of Sparrow & Serpent, always hoped the pub would be a safe space for everyone, but she realized a welcoming environment is not guaranteed everywhere. “I just simply was unwilling to tolerate anyone being bigoted in this space,” she says of the events in 2022. 

“When all of these people came out of the woodworks and were like, ‘You need to be less gay,’ I was like, ‘No we’re going to be gayer now,’” Chappell says. A month after the 2022 incident, Sparrow & Serpent hosted another drag storytime. This time, no protesters showed up.

“It really showed me the performative nature of them doing this,” Chappell says of the protesters. “This was for political hit points. They were using us as a pawn in whatever political play they want to weaponize queer people and to turn queer people into an enemy.”

She adds, “They don’t actually care about what is going on.”

The drag queens are not holding back, and they have no plan to. They say they will do what they love no matter what people think.

Lyta Blunt, a Eugene and Portland-based drag queen and DJ who often performs and hosts the Haus of Blunt brunch at The Barn Light Bar, says, “I’ve been really lucky that the place that I ended up at was so welcoming, and just, excited to have us there.” She says she feels fortunate to have never been in a dangerous situation. “That’s something I’m grateful for and something I am hyper aware that is a coincidence.” The last Haus of Brunch she hosted was in November, and it will start again in January. 

One drag brunch that launched spring 2025 reeled in some mixed feelings. 

In April, Mac’s Custom Catering in the Veterans Memorial Building hosted its first drag brunch. After that, “Mascara and Mimosas” had several shows on the last Sunday of the month.

Mac’s rents space from the Vets Club. The building is also rented by Gospel Community Church, which has rented the space for several years. 

Both groups were looking to rent the space on Sunday mornings. Although they would use different areas of the building, Ryan Whyld, Mac’s former marketing manager, claims the church was not happy with drag queens in the same building as its service. 

Lead pastor Rick Reeves says when the lease was signed, Gospel Community was told they would have the building to themselves on Sunday mornings.

Reeves says the church made a few temporary changes to the location and time of its service “in an attempt to be cordial neighbors as we worked towards a mutually agreeable solution.”

Whyld says there was a conflict with rainbow balloons set up outside of one drag brunch. The church allegedly assumed the balloons were Pride-related and did not want them near its service. “Kids don’t know hatred, kids don’t know gay or not gay, they see a fuckin’ balloon and it’s cute ’cause it’s got rainbows on it,” Whyld says. 

EW received a copy of an email thread between church attendees, members of Veterans of Foreign Wars and Rikard Bellerue, the commander of VFW Post 293, which participates on the board of the Veterans Memorial Association, which owns and manages the building.

One unnamed sender writes to Bellerue, “As a veteran Christian parent, it is tough for me to have to shelter the eyes of my children from the results of a world gone very strange.”

Jake Pelroy, who is currently running for East Lane County commissioner, was included in this email and sent a message to Bellerue, expressing his concerns over the scheduling overlap. He tells Eugene Weekly he does not have any further comments. 

Whyld says of the brunches, “There is nothing exposed that I would not show to my 9-year-old niece. There is nothing inappropriate. I know that some shows can be — this one is not.” 

The nonprofit Veterans Memorial Association decided to move Mac’s drag brunch to later in the afternoon to prevent crossover between groups — doors opened at 12:30 pm. 

One of the co-hosts of Mascara and Mimosas, Cornel Hardiman, who performs as Karress Ann Slaughter, says despite the controversy behind the scenes, he was in full drag one day when people were leaving a service, they said good morning, “and there was nothing wrong.”  

“It has all resolved itself, the brunches after that have been great,” he says.

Hardiman says drag is like therapy to him, and he plans to continue performing for as long as he can. “I don’t know what I would do without drag.” 

 However, Hardiman misses the days when Eugene had a gay and queer bar scene. A little over a year ago, Spectrum, Eugene’s last standing LGBTQ+ bar, closed. 

These spaces were vital for the community, Hardiman says. “When there is an entity like that, it’s a way to have more of a message about shows, because there will be a hub.” 

The Lavender Network, Eugene’s only LGBTQ+ service and community center, changed locations in November from the River Road area to Willamette Street, which Hardiman believes will be more accessible. 

Hardiman says he likes to keep his shows lighthearted. He includes political jokes and comments, while keeping things playful. “I have to speak on it now, and I feel like, if anything, that ability for me to speak my mind politically is literally just another badge of honor in my career.” He says when he was doing drag in his 20s, he never would have thought to bring up politics, but now he is often given no choice. 

Hardiman says supportive allies are all they can ask for. “It’s like, live and let live, that’s all it should be.”

However, according to Hardiman, there are no upcoming Mascara and Mimosas shows planned at Mac’s. He tells the EW, “With all that has happened, our show has been canceled till further notice.”

The Hybrid Gallery is another space that promotes local artists and performers, and has had “nothing but great experiences holding drag events at our location,” says Jenn Vincent, The Hybrid’s general manager.  “We’re really, really proud to be a safe space for everyone in the community, regardless of income, race, gender or sexuality.” 

“All of the groups that we’ve hosted here are just lovely to work with. And the community that they bring in with them are also really lovely,” she says. The Hybrid hasn’t seen any push-back from the community, and Vincent says the Whiteaker area has been very welcoming. 

Now, years after the drag storytime controversy, Chappell says the space at her pub is vital for the queer community. “We’re not worried about looking cool, we are not worried about looking trendy. We are what we are,” Chappell says. 

Blunt says The Barn Light has also done a lot to make queer people feel welcome. “A month after we started doing drag brunch there, they put a queer flag up in the bar, and they don’t take it down when we leave.”

Those who attend drag shows should “walk in with an open heart,” Blunt says, “And understand that these people that are performing for you are doing their job, and we take so much pride in the work that we do.” She says showing up and supporting your local performers is more important now than ever. 

“I think that being afraid is understandable and it’s valid, but backing down right now is not an option,” she says. “Our community is stronger than hate.”

Check out Eugene Weekly’s What’s Happening Calendar for upcoming drag brunches and shows — including Drag Bingo at the Sparrow & Serpent 5 pm every Saturday and Men at Werk at The Hybrid Gallery 7 pm Jan. 16.