New Delhi: The month of June is celebrated as the Pride month every year. Adding to the celebrations, Pizza Hut featured a book about a drag performer in its Book It! reading incentive program. The inclusion of the book has raised controversy. A segment of social media wants the fast-food giant to be boycotted for ‘going woke’. The controversy was raised when Pizza Hut featured ‘Big Wig’ in its kids’ literacy program for children aged 4 to 12 years, in the United States.
What does ‘drag’ means?
‘Drag’ refers to a gender-bending art form used as a medium for gender expression. Usually, in drag, people put on stylized clothing and make-up for their gender expression or to present them as a member of the opposite sex. The term is usually used for gay men flamboyantly dressed in women’s clothing, and commonly referred to as ‘drag queens’. RuPaul is one of the most popular drag queens.
About Big Wig
Big Wig is a picture book written by Jonathan Hillman and illustrated by Levi Hastings, which revolves around a wig called Wig which goes from one kid to another instilling confidence and inspiring dreams. The book features a kid who pairs with Wig and participates in a neighbourhood costume competition with a stage name B.B. Bedazzle.
The controversy
As Pizza Hut featured Big Wig in its Book It! program, Twitter got divided on it. It led to a controversy between Republicans and Democrats. Brigitte Gabriel, founder of the anti-Muslim advocacy group Act for America tweeted, “Pizza Hut has gone full woke, now we must make them full broke.”
Pizza Hut has gone full woke, now we must make them full broke.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) June 3, 2022
Conservative political commentator and author Nick Adams also tweeted.
Boycott Pizza Hut, order from Papa John’s instead.
Better ingredients. Better pizza. No wokeness.
— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) June 4, 2022
Liberals on Twitter did not agree with the conservative take on the Pizza Hut controversy and stated some issues more pressing than a children’s book. Replying to Brigitte Gabriel, a user tweeted “We’ve had like 30+ mass shootings the last 3 weeks and we got morons worried about Pizza Hut and rainbows.”
A Twitter user took on the conservatives with humour.
Pizza Hut: “Kids should read books”
Conservatives: pic.twitter.com/rrhdpBP50a
— highprogressive??? (@highprogressive) June 4, 2022
USA is witnessing constant opposition from the conservatives in informing and sensitising young persons about the LGBTQIA+ community, also #GoWokeGoBroke was trending in the USA yesterday.
