Image: Producer Entertainment Group on Youtube

On Sunday, May 7, the Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon was broadcasted for nearly five hours, raising a total of $523,000 by the end of the event. The official GoFundMe page for the event has raised $536,087 as of Monday, May 8. The telethon was a significant and moving event for the LGBTQ+ community that was both humorous and campy, while also serving as an opportunity for people to come together and express their support for the drag queens and trans persons.

The event was co-hosted by Peppermint, Justin Martindale, Alaska, and Adam Shankman, and was broadcasted live on YouTube by several drag queens, including Trixie Mattel, Bob the Drag Queen, and Alaska, whose videos are now available for replay. Celebrities such as Charlize Theron, Jesse Eisenberg, Billy Eichner, Marcia Gay Harden, Leslie Jones, Orville Peck, Sarah Silverman, Johnny Sibilly, Adam Lambert, and Michelle Visage appeared on the telethon.

The Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon included performances by several artists, including Idina Menzel, who performed “Lights” from Next to Normal; Peaches, who performed “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar; Trixie Mattel, who performed “Malibu”; Bob the Drag Queen, who performed “B*tch Like Me”; Jinkx Monsoon, who performed “The Lavender Song”; and Ginger Minj, who performed “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles.

This event was not only a celebration of drag culture and a reminder of the importance of the LGBTQ+ community, but it also served as a fundraiser for organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The anti-drag and transphobic discourse has been a major issue in recent times, and events like these serve as an important reminder that it’s important to keep fighting and making ourselves known. It’s also an opportunity for people to come together to raise money for our community, so we can support each other and help each other grow.