In the aftermath of the 2022 mass shooting at Club Q, drag queens and other employeesat the LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs were comforted by survivors of the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Florida eight years earlier.
Now, one of those Club Q drag queens is offering their support to the Steamboat Springs drag community after a recent threat of violence.
Last month, police arrested a 28-year-old man accused of threatening to shoot up a drag show at a Steamboat Springs bar. On Wednesday, that venue — Schmiggity’s Live Music & Dance Bar — is planning to host the biggest iteration of its drag show to date with a groundswell of statewide and national support.
“I had never hoped to be that for someone else, because the hope is you will not be needed,” said the Club Q drag queen, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns — and whose stage name is a little too risqué for this newspaper. “But I’m looking forward to being the support that was given to me. Pulse did it for me, so I can show them that Pulse is still going, Club Q is still going — and so are you guys.”
John Clark was arrested July 18 on suspicion of inciting destruction of life or property, menacing, harassment and bias-motivated crime, according to court documents. He has since been criminally charged with inciting destruction of life or property and is due to return to court Aug. 28.
Clark was at another Steamboat Springs bar, Sunpie’s Bistro, that night when he threatened to “shoot up” Schmiggity’s because of the drag show going on at the time, according to his arrest affidavit. Several people at Sunpie’s heard the threats and were concerned, investigators wrote.
Steamboat Springs police guarded Schmiggity’s while other officers interviewed Clark’s roommate, who confirmed Clark had a hunting rifle at home, according to the affidavit. The roommate told police that Clark’s comments were “not OK” and that he tried to get Clark to stop talking about it, but he would not.
Clark’s roommate took the officers to their apartment and convinced Clark to talk to the police. Clark stated he “potentially” made comments about going to Schmiggity’s and causing violence, according to the affidavit.
Sean Brown, Clark’s attorney, told The Denver Post on Monday that when Clark left Sunpie’s after making “comments you probably have a record of,” he went directly home and was in bed when police arrived.
Clark is out of custody on bond, Brown said, and residing within the state.
A drag queen who was performing at Schmiggity’s that night, who also spoke to The Post on condition of anonymity out of fear of their safety, said they didn’t know about the threat until the show ended and someone briefed the performers on the situation.
“This is somebody who is new to the community and doesn’t quite understand our values,” the Steamboat performer said. “They’re going to learn the hard way.”
Everybody was a little shaken up, they said. The drag performers ensured everyone got to their cars safely and headed out of the venue.
Scott Simpson, a community organizer for Qommittee, a national organization advocating for drag artists, read about the threat from the Steamboat Pilot newspaper.
Simpson reached out to the impacted drag artists and offered help to plan the biggest drag show Schmiggity’s has ever hosted.
The event Simpson helped plan, Fresh Drag Show Presents: A Night of Drag Delight and Defiance, will feature performances at 9 and 11 p.m. Wednesday at Schmiggity’s. The visiting Club Q performer will host an amateur hour in between.
“They are facing hate, and you can face these things and you can persevere, but I also want to show them that… I’m still struggling, and it’s OK,” the Club Q drag queen said. “It’s OK to be upset about it. It’s OK to be scared. We can all sit and cry together.”
Queer Futures, the local LGBTQ+ resource center for the Yampa Valley, is working with organizers of the Schmiggity’s drag show, local police and violence prevention professionals on a coordinated response and safety plan for Wednesday’s event and future shows.
“We want people to know we’re here and we’re for the community and we’re not going anywhere,” the Schmiggity’s performer said. “We’re not just for the LGBTQ community. Drag is for everybody. Our cast shows that. We’re a mix of everybody — gay, straight, lesbian. I’m always excited to create a safe space for our community to come together and have fun.”
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Originally Published: August 20, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
