Central Coast Business Owners Respond To Hateful Messages Over Drag Events

A disgruntled San Luis Obispo businessman reportedly sent threatening messages to local authorities about planned events and drag shows, sparking a wave of unease in the Central Coast community.

San Luis Obispo-based restaurant Highwater SLO posted a statement on its Instagram on Nov. 23 drawing attention to the comments and messages it has received regarding its monthly digs. According to the statement, the local business owner allegedly accused the restaurant of "inherently exposing children to sexual activity" and said it was "their mission in life" to prevent child and family activities from taking place at the venues.

The same person reportedly sent similar messages to other local businesses and community leaders, even leading to some businesses canceling upcoming drag and LGBTQ+ events. With the recent surge in far-right groups targeting drag events and last month's mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Highwater co-owner Robin Wolf saw the need to act.

"I've been and have been to more drag events than I can tell you, and it's only in the last four or five years that I've seen that kind of backlash, and in fact the past year has been so hectic," says Wolfe. . SFGATE.

Haywater first received direct messages on Instagram on November 17 from a man who owns a local contracting business. They reached out to express concern about the upcoming drag, with Highwater urging members to "bring the family," Wolfe said. The brunch has been around for over 21 years, but one person misinterpreted the restaurant's wording as an invitation to bring the kids. Wolf said the restaurant hopes to host shows for all ages in the future, but so far none of the drag-themed events allow underage people.

The man then sent several threatening messages to Highwater, promising to "spend the next few weeks and as much money as necessary" to ensure that every traffic accident for all ages in Highwater is widely publicized. They said they spoke to the founders of transgender hate group Gays Against Groomers and said the group had offered to use their major Instagram account to "spread the word" about Highwater events.

"We will publicize your organization for inviting children to drag shows, I promise you," the person wrote in their Highwater posts shared with SFGATE.

The man also threatened to sue if his business was "damaged" by Highwater's messages.

Wolfe said she and others who were sent similar messages mutually agreed not to reveal the name of the person or company. However, they decided to come together to provide an extra layer of protection for LGBTQ+ activities on the Central Coast.

After receiving the reports, Highwater and other local businesses formed a group called Queer Event Safety SLO, which provides safety resources and guidance for organizations looking to host drag and LGBT+ events.

"We won't stop our activities because of hooligans, but we definitely want everyone to be as safe as possible," Wolf said.

Art and Soul SLO, a non-profit arts organization that has also been threatened by people, is among the security firms for queer events. According to Faith LeGrand, founder of Art and Soul, the organization had to cancel its monthly all-ages giveaway due to threatening messages sent by one or the other person associated with Gays Vs Groomers.

Before the cancellation, tickets for the event were consistently selling out.

"I felt defeated, helpless and deeply scared to host another all-ages drag show in San Luis Obispo," LeGrand said in a statement aired to SFGATE.

Wolf said that in addition to these recent reports, the community response to the Highwater Drag Events has been overwhelmingly positive. He added that many local parents asked him when they could bring their children and teenagers to the performances.

"At the very least, it absolutely cemented our desire for more family and LGBT events," Wolf said.

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