Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) condemned Democratic lawmakers for organizing a drag story hour at the state Capitol on Tuesday morning.

Democratic Rep. Lorena Austin (D-Mesa) organized the event, held in the basement of the Arizona House, with the help of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona. 

Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services

Rep. Lorena Austin

Shortly after Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) — who’s running against Toma in the GOP primary Congressional District 8 — criticized the speaker on social media for allowing the event to happen, Toma said he was not aware of the nature of the event. Democrats had asked for his approval to use the room for a stakeholder meeting, Toma said, adding that he was “lied to.”

He sent legislative staff to shut it down, but by then, drag story hour had ended. Toma accused the event of pushing “dangerously perverse ideology.”

“I don't see the point of having a drag queen story hour, and I most definitely don't think the people’s house should be used for that,” he said.

Going forward, Toma says he will no longer allow Democrats to access House meeting rooms. He clarified that Democrats will still be allowed to hold caucus meetings and attend hearings in the House.

House Democratic Whip Nancy Gutierrez (D-Tucson) denied Toma’s accusation that Democrats lied when they scheduled the event. 

“It was described as a drag story hour when Rep. Austin’s assistant called to reserve the room. I was there. We ate bagels and listened to a person wearing makeup and a sparkly outfit read a book and some poems about inclusion, acceptance and LGBTQ history. It wasn’t ’perverse,’ it was lovely, funny, and inspiring,” Gutierrez said in a statement. 

She said that Austin and Democratic leaders have spoken with Toma about the issue and are “working toward a resolution.”

Several legislative Republicans took to social media to criticize Democrats for their event, calling for further punishments and accusing the other party of harming children.

“The People’s House should be a safe place for the children of Arizona and I am outraged at this violation of trust. In addition to this punishment, also I call on leadership to bar Rep. Austin from accessing any part of the House aside from public areas and the floor,” Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) posted on X. 

Toma last year supported a bill to ban drag shows from “targeting minors.” That legislation was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. 

According to a spokesman for House Democrats, no minors attended the event — just a handful of adults listening to a storybook reading.

The book in question is a series of short poems and biographies of “LGBTQ heroes” marketed toward children. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona posted pictures of the event, which only included one drag king, and accused Toma of being out of touch with Arizonans and their support for the LGBTQ+ community.

“It is nothing short of ridiculous that I have been described as dishonest, deceitful and perverse and have been subjected to calls for punishment and expulsion,” Austin said.