Pizza Hut pushes book about ‘drag kids’ to children as young as pre-k; backlash is swift and hot!
Pizza Hut #PizzaHut
Pizza Hut has gone fully woke and is facing a boycott after it featured a highly controversial book with a little boy who dresses in drag that is aimed at children as young as 4-years-old.
The pizza chain has a reading club called “Book It!” that has been in existence since 1984. The program awards children certificates from their school for reading books. Those certificates can then be turned in for free pizza.
The chain restaurant sent an email prior to its summer program “Camp Book It!” which began on June 1 and it has kicked up a firestorm of outrage and protest among parents.
“Big Wig,” written by Jonathan Hillman, recounts the story of a little boy who likes to dress in drag and dons a wig that gives magical powers to those who wear it. The inclusion of the book is for Pride Month, according to Pizza Hut.
“When a child dresses in drag to compete in a neighborhood costume competition, he becomes B. B. Bedazzle! A key part of B.B. Bedazzle’s ensemble is a wig called Wig. Together they are an unstoppable drag queen team! But Wig feels inadequate compared to the other, bigger wigs. When Wig flies off B. B.’s head, she goes from kid to kid instilling confidence and inspiring dreams in those who wear her,” the book’s description reads.
.@pizzahut sponsors a program which incentivizes kids in PreK-6th grade to read books. This week, one of their suggested books is “Big Wig.” A book about a child who becomes a drag performer. pic.twitter.com/5FTQC5ubCo
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 3, 2022
pic.twitter.com/R9LFEOWrSn
— The Based Librarian (@BasedLibrarian) June 3, 2022
“In the spirit of ‘Julián Is a Mermaid,’ this irrepressible picture book celebrates drag kids, individuality, and self-confidence from the perspective of a fabulous wig!” the description also states.
Simon and Schuster published the book in February. The “Book It!” description contends that it, “Celebrates the universal childhood experience of dressing up and the confidence that comes with putting on a costume.”
“And it goes further than that, acknowledging that sometimes dressing differently from what might be expected is how we become our truest and best selves,” the book’s site asserts.
“Hooray! Thank you @pizzahut for featuring BIG WIG (and for the MANY pizzas over the years),” Hillman ecstatically tweeted on Friday. “I grew up doing Book It!, so this is really special. #Pride.”
Hooray! Thank you @pizzahut for featuring BIG WIG (and for the MANY pizzas over the years 🍕). I grew up doing Book It!, so this is really special. And thank you @mychal3ts for sharing! 🌈 #Pride @LeviHastingsArt @SimonKIDS https://t.co/BgLBnwdqSQ
— Jonathan Hillman, BIG WIG author ✨ (@jhillmanbooks) June 3, 2022
Many were horrified that Pizza Hut had devolved so dramatically over the years.
Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec tweeted in response, “I warned you about what Pizza Hut had become but you weren’t ready to hear it.”
I warned you about what Pizza Hut had become but you weren’t ready to hear it
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 3, 2022
And now Pizza Hut promotes drag to kids https://t.co/dJbnjZYxjF
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 3, 2022
Radio host Todd Starnes tweeted, “Over the past few years #pizzahut has had to close hundreds of restaurants. Maybe they should spend more time perfecting their pizza instead of grooming preschoolers to be drag queens?”
Over the past few years #pizzahut has had to close hundreds of restaurants. Maybe they should spend more time perfecting their pizza instead of grooming preschoolers to be drag queens? @mschlapp @JackPosobiec @kylenabecker
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) June 3, 2022
“Pizza Hut was started in Wichita and mostly funded by Kansans these folks would be appalled that their amazing American success story is part of the effort to destroy America and her children,” American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp wrote. “These companies need to realize we won’t use their products any longer.
Pizza Hut was started in Wichita and mostly funded by Kansans these folks would be appalled that their amazing American success story is part of the effort to destroy America and her children. These companies need to realize we won’t use their products any longer. https://t.co/v9UdYRFTjT
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) June 3, 2022
Pizza Hut is trending on Twitter currently and not in a good way.
Hi @pizzahut. Are you aware of how many pizza restaurants there are that don’t try to turn kids into drag queens? Ask your marketing department if you don’t know the answer.
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) June 3, 2022
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