Posted on 06/13/2019 6:11:17 PM PDT by nwrep
Sparkle Lynn Moore, son of Michele Porter
Pride week in Portland has always been an important holiday in Michelle Porter's family. With two of her five children identifying as queer, Porter says, the annual event—with its colorful parades and performances—has become a fun way to celebrate her kids and support the local LGBTQ+ community.
This year, however, Porter says she's afraid to bring her family to any Portland Pride events.
That's because a few alt-right bloggers have used photos and videos of her 10-year-old son dressed in drag to spread anti-LGBTQ+ messaging across the internet, exposing Porter and her family to death threats and violent hate speech.
"It's so damaging and so, so ugly," says Porter, who hasn't slept the past few nights out of fear and anxiety about her family's safety. "And for this to take place during Pride—a time when I should be celebrating my kid and letting him have fun—it couldn't be worse."
Porter's son has been targeted for putting on drag performances in Portland.
Porter says her son, a "self-confident, flamboyant kid" who has presented himself as gender non-conforming since birth, became interested in drag two years ago after watching RuPaul's Drag Race. After learning that Portland had a thriving drag scene of its own, he begged his mom to take him to a show—and she complied.
"As soon as Sparkle saw them perform, he wanted to be a part of it," Porter says. She asked the Mercury to only refer to her son by his drag name, Sparkle Lynn More, for privacy.
Not long after, Sparkle began participating in family-friendly drag shows with local drag queens. Porter says the local drag community's support of her son's work has been "life-giving."
On June 7, alt-right blog Gateway Pundit released a transphobic diatribe against a family-friendly Portland Pride event featuring Sparkle that took place later that day at Friendly House. The disturbing blog post sexualized children who dress in the opposite gender's clothes and scolded parents who let their kids do such a thing. It also shared photos from Sparkle's Instagram account, which is controlled by Porter.
In lieu of police protection, Porter has found security in another organization, one whose history is built on systematic indifference by law enforcement.
"The queer community has been amazing," Porter says. "They're used to the police not stepping up to protect their community. So they know how to take care of each other."
This poor kids parents are the ones who should be “harassed”
I hope that sentence will never makes any sense to me.
Child abusers, and especially sexual abusers, should never be allowed to feel safe.
This is exactly the kind of situation that Child Protective Services are supposed to exist to intervene in.
Hmmm, so he wasn’t suckling Mom on Day One?
Alt-Right...
There it is again, that descriptor we handed them to hit us over the head with.
CPS apparently exits to steal kids to hustle them for sexual trafficking these days.
Way to go Mom. In a few years, he'll be somebody's bitch.
Pedos and other pervs line up. We got a young one for you!!!
That poor kid probably has already been molested repeatedly..these “parents” are disgusting, the child should be removed from the home
Democrats are pure evil.
And they say there’s no hell on earth.
God will contnue to damn the US until we restore the nation.
Unfortunately, one day little Sparkle will discover those fun-loving “grownups” who get the vapors over those cute little butt moves have ulterior motives. I’m talking about his ‘parents’.
Poor kid looks Malnourished — wonder if Mom says he identifies as a vegan too.
It only hits you over the head if you let it.
The Portland Predators
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