A right-wing influencer was compelled to pay a Black drag queen $1.1 million after lying about | LGBTQNation

This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.

Once the death threats began, the drag queen felt she had “no choice” but to file a lawsuit.

The right was protesting drag shows across the nation during Pride Month in 2022, calling the queens “groomers” and worse. To “prove” that drag queens shouldn’t be permitted to perform in public, conservative influencer Summer Bushnell shared a doctored video of a drag queen purportedly exposing herself to children.

She is now required to pay $1.1 million in damages for slandering drag performer Mona Liza Million, who, when not in drag, goes by Eric Posey.

In 2022, Bushnell wrote on Facebook, “Why did no one arrest the man in a dress who flashed his genitalia to minors and people in the crowd?” in reference to Posey’s Pride performance in Idaho. “There is video and no one commented on it. I’ll provide a hazy video to demonstrate it.

It turns out that the reason “no one said anything about it” is that it never did. Posey was completely clothed in the “blurred video” she shared, but it was obscured enough for the thousands of viewers to miss that fact.

After reading Bushnell’s post, people began reporting Posey to the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, police. None of the allegations, according to the police, came from anybody who were present while Posey performed.

The City of Coeur d’Alene Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued a statement following their assessment of the original, unblurred footage, stating that the evidence did not support the charges of indecent exposure or other crimes. As a result, prosecution is dismissed.

However, that did not quiet the internet backlash. Posey said at trial that he got death threats and that images from Bushnell’s doctored video of him became a symbol utilized by the right in their quest to get drag shows outlawed.

Conservative influencers such as Chaya Raichik, the creator of Libs of TikTok, have dedicated their careers to accusing LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly drag artists, of “grooming” youngsters. However, Bushnell’s attempt to make the same accusation was met with opposition. Posey made the decision to sue her for slander.

In September 2022, he stated in a press statement, “It is now my turn to speak after three months of silence.” “Provocateurs have persisted in circulating the manipulated video of my performance even after I was found not guilty, spreading hate speech against the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the state and damaging my reputation.”

“I am forced to pursue legal action in order to punish the people who spread the lies accountable for their deeds. I’m hoping that this civil lawsuit will end the divisive misinformation efforts being carried out in Idaho.

This summer, Coeur d’Alene’s Pride in the Park garnered national notice when police detained 31 members of the Patriot Front, a group that supports white supremacists, as they attempted to disrupt the celebration. Bushnell, according to Posey, tried to take advantage of that attention.

Bushnell’s attorney attempted to claim that although his client’s acts were “almost” defamatory, they didn’t quite fit the criteria.

Bushnell’s admission that she never saw Posey expose himself was even worse for the defense. In other words, she knew she was lying and wasn’t in error.

After the decision on Friday, Posey declared, “The judicial system did what needed to be done.” Imagine yourself alone and in a dark hole, feeling as though everyone is ignoring you. However, you found yourself surrounded by warriors—true Idahoans, not transplants—who were native to this land. I am lucky to be surrounded by those who have encouraged and uplifted me.

The jury debated for three and a half hours this past Friday during the five-day trial, according to The Guardian. The judge informed the jury that they were unable to compel Bushnell to remove the Facebook post and issue a public apology. The video is still accessible on the social media network.