Community Lines Up for 12 Hours to Support Vandalized IL Bakery

Yes, everyone has the right to protest in this country. But, vandalizing a small business is taking it too far.

Uprising Bakery, in Lake in the Hills, IL, recently faced backlash from certain members of their community after they held a Drag Brunch in their dining room. The situation was explained in a Tiktok from the bakery owner's mother:

The video was posted on September 17th but, according to an article from cbsnews.com, the vandalism actually occurred in July of this year. The LGBTQ+ community and allies responded by lining up for twelve hours, nearly clearing out the entire stock of the bakery. We love to see it.

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However, since then, even as recently as last week (September 17th) the bakery has been met with protestors camping outside its doors. They're even there when the bakery isn't open:

Undeterred, Uprising Bakery continued to host Drag shows, Banned Books Storytimes, and more in an effort to create a space that is welcome for all.

Why Are People Protesting?

Unfortunately, the rhetoric about Drag Queens being groomers has been growing for a few years. Even elected officials have publically stated that they believe things like Drag Queen story hours in schools should be considered grooming.

While I'd love to be able to break down the very complicated reasons why someone would assume a man who dresses extravagantly is automatically a child predator, I just don't have the skills to do so properly. This is a private business hosting events that THEY want to host for people who are willingly attending.

If you want to and are willing to read more about the extreme reactions to Drag Queens and why they might be happening, check out this opinion piece published in June of this year on currentaffairs.org.

Again, people have the right to protest. But, what message does smashing windows send other than one of hate?

If you'd like to help or support Uprising Bakery you can follow them on Facebook or Tiktok:

And, should you be in the area, consider stopping by for a delicious treat.