Photo By Kai Gray / Staff
By Han Psalma
A Perspective
Chula Vista voters once again showed a hate-based city council candidate the door.
Here’s hoping anti-LGBTQ scourge Marco Contreras remains on the ash heap of history.
Contreras and his ilk have raised their ugly heads to castigate members of the LGBTQ community and drag artists time and again, only to be swatted aside by the Chula Vista community. A self-proclaimed minister, Contreras has engaged in unchristian behavior since he first opened his mouth to insert both of his feet. He is just the latest homophobic bully hiding under the guise of clergy who has tried and utterly failed to stigmatize the South County LGBTQ community and drag performers.
Let’s hope he’s the last.
Contreras took to Instagram to slander Mmm Cakes, a small business on Third Avenue, for hosting drag queen Mariam T at Disney Villain Trivia Night.
“Exposing children to drag queen entertainment is child abuse,” he belched forth.
The “child abuse” canard hit deep with members of the LGBTQ+ community, historically struggling with hypersexualization, and historically NOT child abusers. Nearly 98 percent of child abusers are straight men and women. Ironically, a disproportionate number are clergy.
Drag is a centuries-old art form from England meant for expression of self and to celebrate diversity. Drag artists are among the world’s most talented and popular performers, including prime time American TV.
In recent years family events featuring drag performers have become a popular way to teach children the beauty of diversity and acceptance. Contreras clearly did not learn these lessons as a child. Sadly, he mistakenly believes the rest of us are as small minded and hateful as he is.
“As an entrepreneur and businessman, Marco knows the value of community support for business to thrive,” crowed his campaign website.
Nevertheless, he blacklisted and bullied a small business in Chula Vista that values community. Mmm Cakes owner Jose Vargas called out the hypocrisy.
“It’s not a good look to attack a citizen while you claim to be trying to help citizens,” he said.
Contreras swung open the Gates of Hell and set free his chorus of internet trolls and rightwing loonies. Mmm Cakes received non-stop harassment from Contreras minions who called its operators pedophiles and groomers.
“It was actually very disturbing,” Vargas said. “(Contreras and his supporters) are calling us pedophiles and yet they are hypersexualizing everything.”
Contreras is not the first hate monger to target drag performers in Chula Vista. In 2019 a handful of anti-LGBTQ protesters led by another self-appointed “minister” threatened to picket the Drag Queen Story Hour at the tiny Otay Ranch Branch Library. Former Mayor Mary Casillas-Salas counterpunched. She moved the event to the main Chula Vista Library downtown, gave it heavy marketing and personally led a counter protest that dwarfed the hate group, sending the rednecks home red faced.
California Assembly member Steve Padilla was one of the counter protesters. He was a Chula Vista councilmember at the time, the first openly gay person elected to the council.
“It was a perfect example of people taking an issue or a program and twisting it to advance their own ideas,” he said. “All they succeeded in doing was increasing the attendance. (The library) had to arrange for more shows.”
Padilla attended Disney Villain Trivia Night.
“It was a very family-oriented event,” he said. “It was families with kids in costumes. It was completely appropriate, it was delightful and it was packed!”
Vargas said he was unbowed and that Mmm Cakes San Diego will host another event with drag performers.
“We will 100 percent do it,” he said. “We are a diverse community. We are accepting of everyone. That is what makes us beautiful.”
