‘PROVACATIVE’

Google Backs Away From Drag Show Pride Event After Employees Gripe

A small group of workers signed a petition claiming the “provocative and inflammatory” event was a “direct affront to the religion beliefs and sensitivities of Christians.”

Google quietly removed a public, company-sponsored “Pride and Drag Show” from its internal company events page after a small group of employees circulated a petition opposing the event, according to CNBC reported. “A few hundred” of the company’s 140,000-or-so employees signed the petition claiming the “provocative and inflammatory” event, featuring drag performer Peaches Christ, was a “direct affront to the religion [sic] beliefs and sensitivities of Christians,” CNBC reported. Around the same time, the tech giant seemed to distance itself from the show and began encouraging employees to attend a separate social gathering at its offices instead. Held at LGBTQ+ bar Beaux in San Francisco, the Peaches Christ event was open to the public so employees could still attend, a Google spokesperson told CNBC. Google confirmed it stopped categorizing the performance as a company-recognized diversity, equity and inclusion event but did not address the petition. “We’ve long been very proud to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community,” the spokesperson said. “Our Pride celebrations have regularly featured drag artists for many years, including several this year.”