Legendary playwright and performer Harvey Fierstein has revealed that he has been banned from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., following what he calls Donald Trump’s “takeover” of the cultural institution. Fierstein, 72, known for Kinky Boots, La Cage aux Folles, and Torch Song Trilogy, shared a fiery statement on social media condemning Trump’s actions. He wrote, listing works like Hairspray and Safe Sex that are no longer welcome at the venue. He warned,
“The shows I’ve written are now banned from being performed in our premiere American theater. This is NOT how it begins. This is how freedom ENDS! Trump may have declared ‘woke’ as dead in America. We must prove him wrong. WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!”
Fierstein’s post, accompanied by a photo of him with trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, drew support from celebrities and fans. Many noted the significance of Johnson’s image, as references to trans figures have recently been erased from the Stonewall National Monument website. With Trump targeting LGBTQ rights and cultural spaces, Fierstein’s ban is another sign of the escalating fight over free expression in America.
