Florida Representative Matt Gaetz
Rep. Matt Gaetz (Photo: Gage Skidmore, via CC BY-SA 2.0)

Several Republicans have used Pride Month to remind people where they stand on the issue of LGBTQ rights.

The influential @LibsOfTikTok Twitter account marked it by posting an epic thread of videos and posters for drag queen events at schools, libraries and other events where children might be present.

“They say it’s innocent. They say it’s just about inclusion and acceptance. They say no one is trying to confuse, corrupt, or sexualize kids. They lie.” said the opening tweet, before posting more than two dozen video clips and adverts.

It offered zero explanation or evidence of its claim that drag queens “confuse, corrupt or sexualize” youngsters.

Despite this, one of the nearly 10,000 people/bots to share the tweet was Florida Rep. Gaetz.

(Screenshot)

Yes, Gaetz, a man reportedly under FBI investigation for sex trafficking minors (although no charges have been bought and he denies any wrongdoing), appears to be agreeing with a tweet claiming drag queens are sexualizing kids.

Related: Matt Gaetz’s future looking “not good” after latest development, says former federal prosecutor

The original thread has prompted thousands of comments. As one would expect from the followers of @LibsOfTikTok, many said they were horrified by the images of drag queens entertaining youngsters.

However, others were impressed that @LibsOfTiKTok managed to assemble such an exhaustive list of events, demonstrating how widely popular family-friendly drag shows have become.

@LibsofTikTok has over 1.2million followers on Twitter. In April, the Washington Post ran an investigation on the woman behind it, former real estate agent Chaya Raichik, and the account’s impact.

Related: ‘Libs of TikTok’ deletes thousands of tweets after owner is exposed, but the Internet remembers forever

The account’s modus operandi is to repost videos from those on the left, usually without any context, for its predominantly right-wing audience to mock and ridicule. It has grown increasingly influential, with reporters on Fox News and Newsmax often picking up on some of the videos it shares.

Indeed, its drag thread seems to have already made waves.

One of the events it tweeted about was a family-friendly drag show in Jasper, Indiana, at Dubois County Pride later this month. Within 48 hours, organizers of that event said the drag show had been canceled. They said the decision was made due to “safety and security concerns.” Others online said the organizers had been bombarded with hateful messages following a Twitter campaign.

@LibsOfTikTok was quick to celebrate the news.

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