Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Acting Out

Culture | July 20th, 2022

By Sabrina Hornung 

sabrina@hpr1.com

Last month, Chris Stoner, also known as Miss Janessa Jaye Champagne, a 20-year veteran of the North Dakota drag community, was targeted in a variety of posts from the anti-LGBTQ Facebook group Protect North Dakota Kids, prior to an all-ages drag show and brunch that was set for Capital Pride in Bismarck in the middle of June.

Stoner, known for their no-nonsense approach, is not one to easily back down from a fight. What started as a joke on one of Stoner’s live streams has become a fundraising effort to benefit LGBTQ youth using the very words meant to tear them down. They mused that despite the gravity of the situation, some of the insults hurled their way were well– pretty amusing.

“I thought this is actually stuff that could be on a merch line, and it would be something that, you know, would be the greatest irony. I think that this group is calling themselves ‘Protect North Dakota Kids,’ but we could use this negative experience and turn it into something where the proceeds from the sale of this merch line can actually protect some North Dakota kids.” Stoner said.

This led to a collaboration between Stoner, Bismarck-based URL radio owner and producer of the all ages drag brunch Stacy Sturm, and Bismarck-based artist Alyssa Christensen.

But this wasn’t their first collaboration. “I’ve worked with Janessa before,” said Christensen, “with some other art projects, so it’s always fun to see what project ideas they’ve conjured up. Janessa said they wanted a darker and more mysterious tone, and sent me a rough sketch of what they were thinking for the image. So Janessa came up with the idea and I drew it up for them.”

The artwork depicted a questionable van representing the group’s lack of transparency and overall secrecy. Stoner elaborated on the absurdity of the group’s postings directed toward Sturm and Stoner.

“There was a comment – I just pulled it up here – that said they had posted this picture of these garden hoes with angry faces on them. And the caption is ‘Spiritual Jezebel is calling for an attack on our page. Here is an artistic rendering of said army.’” They went on to say, “From there, we've kind of taken little pieces from this continuing conversation and turned them into products.”

This led to another collaboration between Sturm, Stoner, and artist Melissa Gordon. The project has been in the works for a few weeks, the shirts will be printed on demand through the company TeeSpring and the charities are yet to be determined. Though Stoner stresses the importance of keeping the charities local.

“I would like to see the (Protect North Dakota Kids) page get taken down just because I don't see it as a benefit to anybody, it's dangerous people that actually want to protect North Dakota's children. And I think the merch side is great because if people buy merch that goes to, you know organizations that actually work with at-risk kids,” said Sturm.

She went on to say, “I guess at least some good has come out of it. Out of all the bad that's come out of that page. I feel like that merch store is making lemonade out of the lemons that we were dealt. And also too I feel like it's been nice to just see how much support that the LGBTQ plus community and its allies do have. Up until now. I would not have thought that there were such strong voices in support for LGBTQ plus and and and their allies. But now I see there's way more support than I initially ever would have thought. And so the love has been way more than the hate. And so I think I that's part of what's been great.”

Stacy Sturm is part of URL Radio, a locally owned internet-based URL radio broadcasting platform based out of Bismarck. Along with working 14 years with the internet-based platform, she’s a 26-year veteran of traditional radio, on top of the 14 years that URL radio has been around.

Speaking of collaborations, Sturm knew Stoner before all this from attending previous drag shows, though this was her first time working with drag performers in Bismarck, and though it wasn’t the first time there had been drag in the capital city. According to Sturm, by promoting the show she was the “Spiritual Jezebel,” according to the “Protect North Dakota Kids” Facebook page.

All jokes aside, when asked about the gravity of the situation Sturm said, “For a while, it wasn't funny. Why I really want to see that page go away, is I don't want to accidentally fuel any hate in the States, or fuel hate in somebody that could cause harm to somebody like myself or Janessa or somebody in the LGBTQ+ community, like our drag queens and kings. That scares me because it was really kind of unnerving when I was planning that drag show, the threats I got of physical violence…the police or the sheriff's office actually had to give us protection at the show. The threats were valid and they were real and it was kind of scary. And all it takes is for one over-the-top crazy person that is mentally unstable to hop on that movement. I don't want that hate out there.”

When asked how the controversy regarding “Protect North Dakota Kids” page has affected URL Radio and its following, Sturm commented, “As far as the following I think it's helped but as far as business, it's not necessarily helped. Because North Dakota is such a conservative place that I run off of advertising. So the radio station survives on advertising, so there's a lot of conservative people, and when they hear that I'm a child groomer. Like, they might not want to do business with the radio station if I contact them.”

Though in fact, Sturm as well as URL Radio has a history of working with anti-human trafficking organizations under their belts.

Though Sturm made mention of “Protect North Dakota Kids” Executive Director Keith Hapip Jr., who was recently elected to the Washburn City Council and is also an active emergency medical technician (EMT), an ambulance worker. She worries that his bias could affect the care of LGBTQ+ individuals in Mclean County; or affect another member associated with the organization, who may have a role in working with at-risk youth and who currently has a leave of absence from the organization, with North Dakota being a right-to-work state.

Sturm later invited Hapip onto her URL Radio to debate, she said, “I asked Mr. Hapip three times, would you rather have a gay kid or a dead kid? He said, “Well, we would work on prayer.”

“No, that's not what I asked you.” So his basic answer is he would rather have a dead kid than a gay kid. He would rather have gay kids just not be gay. Or pretend not to be gay. But then that's what leads to suicide.”

___________________

YOU SHOULD KNOW

https://janessa-jaye-champagne.creator-spring.com




Recently in:

By Laura Simmonslaurasimmons2025@u.northwestern.edu Dr. Stephen McDonough researched why North Dakota had the highest COVID death rate and cases in the fall of 2020. His investigation accumulated into a 1,000-plus page book titled…

By Michael M. Miller michael.miller@ndsu.eduOne of the most important books published about the Germans from Russia in North Dakota is “Along the Trails of Yesterday: A Story of McIntosh County” by Nina Farley Wishek, published…

photo credit: Jessica GavinSeptemberOktoberfest: Now-October 3Wurst Bier HallStein-holding competition, happy hour Mon-Fri from 4-6, wear your dirndl or lederhosen, German music.https://wurstfargo.com/Papa’s Pumpkin…

By John Strandjas@hpr1.comOur Opinion: Thank you, Reader readers, for 29 fulfilling yearsChugging along, The Little Newspaper That Could commences its 30th volume and year with this issue. Simply getting here speaks volumes. Just…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comEighty Million Eligible Voters Did Not Vote in the DSA in 2020. Why Not?In the first week of February, 2023, Deborah Daub, 59, shot and killed her husband James Daub, 62, Morgan Daub, their…

We are looking for 55-gallon plastic food grade barrels, do you have ideas or connections?We use these barrels to teach our resilient yard workshop series including Make Your Own Rain Barrel and Make Your Own Compost Tumbler. If…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.comMy new venture as a master’s degree student has got me thinking…again about food. Although I’m in an online program with the University of North Dakota, I thought it would be handy to list and…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comThe Melvins formed in 1983 Montesano, Washington, founded by singer/guitar player Buzz Osborne. The group is known for its heavy sound mixed with a dose of punk, forming its own subgenre.…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.comFilmmaker Jacqueline Castel’s “My Animal” premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in January, but its vibes are better suited to the rising blood moon of autumn’s spooky season. Now…

By HPR Staffsubmit@hpr1.comThe Fargo Moorhead Visual Artists’ much-lauded neighbor lovin’ Studio Crawl is just around the corner – October 7 and 8, noon to 6pm. During the free event, the people who add culture and vibrancy…

By Eric Dallmanericd@hpr1.comWe recently watched “The PROM” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, and it was an experience that left a lasting impact on us. The story, a heartwarming yet familiar one, follows a group of Broadway stars…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By John Showalter  john.d.showalter@gmail.comThey sell fentanyl test strips and kits to harm-reduction organizations and…

JANUARY 19, 1967– MARCH 8, 2023 Brittney Leigh Goodman, 56, of Fargo, N.D., passed away unexpectedly at her home on March 8, 2023. Brittney was born January 19, 1967, to Ruth Wilson Pollock and Donald Ray Goodman, in Hardinsburg,…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On the first day of the month I ask people to thank a journalist they know or someone who contributes to papers in some meaningful way. When I grew up, my best friend's father was a journalist…