WHO BENEFITS FROM THE LATEST VIRAL DRAG QUEEN OUTRAGE? ASKING FOR A FRIEND.
The internet is ablaze once again over a video of drag queen Pattie Gonia reading a children’s book to a public library audience—but before you share your outrage or applause, ask yourself who’s really cashing in. The footage, which shows Pattie Gonia in full costume discussing environmental themes, has been clipped and shared by both right-wing fury farmers and left-wing engagement baiters, generating millions of views for media platforms that profit from division. Meanwhile, the library itself saw a spike in donations from corporate greenwashers eager to attach their logos to the controversy. Is this a genuine battle over childhood education, or just another manufactured culture war designed to keep you scrolling while the real beneficiaries—advertisers and algorithm architects—laugh all the way to the bank?