Tara Hoot wants to spread joy through dance, streamers, glitter — and sometimes puppets. As a drag queen, she specializes in educational storytelling for children through “make-believe, fantasy, fabulosity.” But wherever she performs, throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., protests and bomb threats follow.
“When these hateful voices are on the rise, the way to combat them is by raising our voices of love higher, by showing up, standing up, and leading the way with light and love,” Hoot said in a statement back in April, after an eighth bomb was called into one of her venues.
In an interview with The Advocate, she emphasized that she keeps her shows family-friendly, leading storytelling hours, reading children’s books, and fostering imagination.
“My job is to make sure that kids feel better…