Petitions seek to cancel North Brookfield drag show, recall 2 officials

NORTH BROOKFIELD — Two residents are trying to put a stop to the Rural Justice Network’s Small Town Pride drag performance scheduled June 24 on the Town Common, while also trying to recall two elected town officials who they said need to be "held accountable."

In a letter dated May 10 and obtained by Telegram & Gazette, Herb and Kristi Seymour, a husband and wife, called on residents to sign three petitions that seek to cancel the drag performance and recall Select Board Clerk Brooke Canada and Board of Health member Douglas Borowski.

The letter seeks to recall the two officials because of "extreme bias for individuals associated with the NB Democratic Town committee over and above the needs of the entire town," "blatant support of immorality," and "constant attempts at shutting down free speech."

The letter asks residents to sign the petitions and return them in postage-paid envelopes by May 26.

Borowski and Canada could not be immediately reached for comment.

“We were disheartened as we watched the North Brookfield Board of Selectmen Meeting to learn our town was going to allow adult entertainment in broad daylight,” the letter said. “Even though many concerned citizens requested that the ‘Drag Queen Show’ not be held at the Town Common in front of the many children that live and play there.”

The drag performance has been a source of controversy in town since early April, when the Board of Selectmen voted to rescind its initial approval of the Small Town Pride event with a drag performance on the Town Common.

It voted to approve the event without a drag performance, which board Chairman Jason Petraitis equated with “adult entertainment.” Vice Chair John Tripp also voiced disapproval of allowing the drag performance on the Town Common, where he said children and families would be able to see it.

Canada was the only member to support allowing the event on the common with the drag performance.

"I don't think it's adult entertainment," she said at a meeting in April. "It's freedom of expression. I've been to these events. I've never seen anything that's been unsavory to anybody and I trust that our police force would enforce anything that's unlawful or adult in nature."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts later called upon the board to restore its initial approval. Prohibiting the drag performance, the ACLU said, would be a violation of free speech and free expression.

At its next meeting, the Board of Selectmen said the Rural Justice Network did not need the board's permission to hold the event the way it wanted, since the Town Common is a public space, but it would not be "sanctioned" by the board.

After the ACLU requested clarification, the town’s attorney Brian W. Riley wrote that the group had permission to hold the event as it was initially approved in March, drag performance and all.

When asked about the petitions, Rural Justice Network President Tashena Marie said: “We are about rising above and not giving people like this our power. I’m asking that everyone put their energy into helping build up the event and not responding to the negative.”

Marie took to TikTok to spread a similar message, also encouraging people to use the paid postage from the petition for something else, like sending support to the Rural Justice Network, or to Canada or Borowski.

The group also wrote on its Facebook page that it was “unfortunate” to learn about the effort to stop the performance.

“Recently we have gone the extra mile to show the community that Small Town Pride is a fun, safe event for everyone, and have been vindicated by waves of support from surrounding organizations, and many attendees from the past two years,” the post said. “The initial notion to ban drag and revoke our permits was a clear violation of human rights that we are thankful has been since corrected.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: North Brookfield drag show target of petition and recall effort