Ohio Taxpayer Funded LGBTQ+ Youth Center Teaches Kids From ELF The “Basics Of Drag” In Monthly Classes Taught By A Drag Queen

A taxpayer-funded LGBTQ+ youth center in Ohio announced a monthly session teaching kids as young as 11 the “fundamentals of drag.”

The Colors+ Youth Center in Fairview Park – about 15 miles west of Cleveland – says in its mission statement that its goals are to use a “holistic mind-body approach and to have a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth and allies empower them to grow as individuals and within their communities’ and welcomes children ages 4 to 17.

The center received grants last year as part of a tax that allows Cuyahoga County Arts & Culture to provide stipends to organizations “in the local arts and culture sector.”

Colors+ Youth Center – which one was in the headlines last year after someone threw a brick at a Black Lives Matter flag in the window and spray-painted graffiti – was one of nine new grant recipients in 2022.

It touts that funding in its description of “monthly drag tutorials” led by local drag performers for kids as young as 11. A photo advertising the event on social media shows a child of unknown age being made up by drag queen, Sassy Sascha, who is seen sporting huge false eyelashes.

‘Under the guidance of a local drag artist who teaches the basics of drag (makeup, costume design and performance), young people can express themselves creatively in a safe, affirming and age-appropriate way. Funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture,’ their website states.

Other photos show a group of children practicing their own makeup skills with Sascha and posing with their final results.

Other Colors+ Youth Center programs include bi-annual LGBTQ+ sexual health classes, a Clothing Affirmation Program (CCAP) that allows kids to “try new ways of self-expression and identity discovery,” and self-defense classes for parents.

The center was founded by “certified professional mental health counselors” in an effort to fill a “major gap in services for LGBTQ+ youth” in the community.

‘Colors+ believes that everyone deserves a place to feel safe and be themselves. This is exactly what we offer to LGBTQ+ youth and allies. We welcome youth from all over the state to come to our center or participate virtually in programming.”

The organization touts over ‘collaborations’ with the Better Business Bureau, the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, and several local television stations.

The provincial funding dates back to a 2015 election, in which voters approved Number 8, a one-and-a-half cent tax to raise revenue for Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

“Cuyahoga Arts & Culture’s mission is to inspire and empower the community through investment in arts and culture. In 2016, we established a new vision and values ​​that, along with our mission, will underpin our efforts for the next decade.

It is currently funded through at least January 2027 and has invested more than $207 million in more than 436 organizations since its inception in 2007.

The Colors+ Youth Center in Fairview Park — about 15 miles west of Cleveland — says in its mission statement that its goals are to use a “holistic mind-body approach and to have a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth and allies to enable them to grow as individuals and within their communities’. Pictured: Kids during the Drag Tutorials session show off the final results of their drag makeup class

The center received grants last year as part of a tax that allows Cuyahoga County Arts & Culture to provide stipends to organizations “in the local arts and culture sector.” Pictured: Drag Queen Sassy Sascha teaches kids how to apply drag makeup at the youth center

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture values ​​equity in determining how it distributes taxpayer money.

“We recognize that our society is being challenged to overcome a complex web of inequalities, and we believe CAC is responsible for operating with an awareness of legacies of privilege and power that impact opportunity, access and resources,” claims It.

“This awareness will inform all of our policies and practices, including funding criteria, program development, hiring and resident involvement.”

Youth drag programs have sparked outrage across the country, with many deeming them inappropriate for minors.

A similar one “Sleep 101 for Teens” program sparked controversy when it was held at a Columbus provincial library in 2019.

DailyMail.com has contacted Colors+ for comment. The organization has locked down its Twitter feed.