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Democratic lawmakers successful Arizona's authorities legislature hosted a "Drag Story Hour" successful business pinch Planned Parenthood connected Tuesday, sparking backlash from their Republican colleagues who said nan arena was "deceptively" planned.
"Democrat Rep. Lorena Austin deliberately misled House activity to reserve a convention room to big a resistance communicative hr pinch Planned Parenthood," House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican, said successful a statement. "Use of House accommodation for extremist activism to beforehand dangerously perverse ideology will not beryllium tolerated while I americium Speaker."
Toma said Democrats have "lost nan privilege" of reserving House gathering rooms "until spot tin beryllium restored." The resistance communicative hr took spot successful nan Copper Basin Room successful nan House basement.
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Arizona lawmaker nether occurrence for hosting resistance communicative hr successful Capitol. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A video, which a spokesperson from nan authorities Senate told Fox News Digital was taken by an intern who stopped by astatine nan event, shows a man successful a sparkly suit overgarment wearing pinkish and achromatic constitution reference from nan book "Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating nan Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes."
"When is it clip to take a caller name? Why does personification go an activist? How does 1 begin?" nan man tin beryllium heard saying successful nan video.
Rep. Lorena Austin, a nonbinary Democrat lawmaker successful nan authorities House, organized nan arena pinch Planned Parenthood. Fox News Digital reached retired for remark but did not perceive backmost by property deadline from Austin aliases nan abortion network.
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Austin besides helped scheme a "LGBTQ+ Youth Day astatine nan Capitol" connected Wednesday.
"As authorities continues to attraction connected queer youth, it is imperative these determination makers spot and hear from nan younker impacted by policies they pass. It's besides an opportunity for america to build community and uplift 1 another," One-n-Ten, an LGBTQ+ defense group wrote successful a station connected Instagram.
"Hope you tin subordinate Youth Day astatine nan AZ Capitol 2024!"
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Woman protesting successful favour of nan LGBTQ movement. (Yffy Yossifor/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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In a connection posted to X, Planned Parenthood Arizona said successful consequence to Toma that it's different illustration "of Speaker Toma showing really retired of touch he is pinch nan values of Arizonans & their support for nan LGTBQ community."
"At Planned Parenthood Arizona, we are proud to connection gender-affirming attraction services and supply basal wellness attraction to everyone," nan group said. "We convey Rep. Lorena Austin for being a staunch state and for their continued support successful our conflict for reproductive freedom. We will beryllium judge to induce Speaker Toma to nan adjacent Drag Story Hour."
State Sen. John Kavanaugh told Fox News Digital that it was nan first clip thing for illustration nan resistance arena had happened astatine nan Capitol.
"And it wouldn't person happened had they been truthful and said they wanted to person a resistance queen communicative hour," he said. "I mean, that successful and of itself, is truthful inflammatory and controversial, which is astir apt why they didn't mention that. So, it was nan truth that they were deceptive successful nan explanation."
Jamie Joseph is simply a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital sum of nan Senate.
