Cross-dresser makes children chant 'Free Palestine' during reading session at Massachusetts art center - even though Hamas tortures gays

A drag queen was recorded ordering children to chant 'Free Palestine' during a queer story time event at a Massachusetts art center.

Performer Lil Miss Hot Mess read stories to kids during the Queer Storytime for Palestine event at the Northampton Center for the Arts on April 14.

The event, organized by Valley Families for Palestine, was intended for preschool through upper elementary school aged children.

Lil Miss Hot Mess wore a sparkly red dress, green boa and a large watermelon shaped brooch while reading her book 'If You're a Drag Queen and You Know It.'

'If you're a drag queen and you know it shout "Free Palestine,"' the drag queen said. 

'Today what we're going to do is we're going to shout "Free Palestine!" Can I hear that?'

'If you're a drag queen and you know it and you really want to show it, if you're a drag queen and you know it, shout "Free Palestine!"

The event included dancing, celebrating Palestine culture, learning about queer heroes and doing arts and crafts.

Authors Hannah Moushabeck, a second-generation Palestinian American, and Sarah Prager also attended.

Lil Miss Hot Mess shared photos from the reading on her Instagram with the caption, 'Last weekend I had the honor of taking part in a Queer Storytime for Palestine.'

'The event was both a wonderful reminder of the power of imagination, community, and organizing, while at the same time heartbreaking in thinking about how we could feel so much joy together while Gazans (and especially Palestinian children) are suffering. Still, I hold out hope in working with children to bring about a just present and liberatory future.'

The event organizer Valley Families for Palestine said, 'We came together today in joy and solidarity and learned some important lessons about being ourselves, using our voices to speak out against injustice, and being fabulous while we do it.'

Queers for Palestine events and marches have been criticized as a misguided show of support for a regime that does not support gay rights.

The Islamic Middle Eastern state follows sharia law, and as noted by Amnesty International, it is not safe for the queer community.

Palestine is the sixth-worst country in the world for legal rights and freedoms LGBTQ+ people have, ranking 192 out of 197 countries, according to Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Equality Index.

A Hamas terrorist commander, Mahmoud Ishtiwi, was tortured and killed by the organization in 2016 for allegedly having sex with another man.

Ahmad Abu Marhia, a 25-year-old gay Palestinian, was found beheaded after receiving death threats because of his sexual identity.