Google Turns Away from Peaches Christ-Headlining Drag Show after Christian Employees Complain

Google turned away from a planned event starring drag icon Peaches Christ after Christian employees started a petition calling the artist's work "a direct affront" to their "religious beliefs and sensitivities," CNBC reported.

"Each year, Google sponsors a series of Pride events in San Francisco and other locations for employees and the public," CNBC detailed. "This year, the closing event was a 'Pride and Drag Show' featuring popular performer 'Peaches Christ,' who was scheduled to perform Tuesday at LGBTQ+ bar Beaux in San Francisco," the report added.

"However, employees noticed the company removed the show from the internal company events page at around the same time a petition began circulating opposing the event, according to internal discussions viewed by CNBC."

The company's Christian employees claimed in a petition that the famed drag performer's "provocative and inflammatory artistry is considered a direct affront to the religion beliefs and sensitivities of Christians," the news outlet relayed, detailing that "a few hundred" employees signed the petition, which USA Today noted, "accus[ed] the company of religious discrimination for promoting" the event.

Now, Google has set up an alternative event – "a social gathering in the office" – and is promoting that instead, although the show with Peaches Christ will still go on for those who wish to attend it.

"The company did not say if the petition played a part in that decision," USA Today reported, though Google did state that, "Our Pride celebrations have regularly featured drag artists for many years, including several this year."

"This particular event was booked by and shared within one team without going through our standard events process."

CNBC noted that Google's about-face prompted more criticism from employees who opined that "the complaints were subjective and feed into political culture wars," as well as "what they viewed as the quiet removal of the event from the internal website and a buckling to petitioners' pressure."

"A company spokesperson said changes to the event were communicated to a team employee resource group last week," the news report added.

The drag icon herself addressed the controversy, telling the newspaper, "In my world, Jesus has a sense of humor."

"Yes, I did host a 'Hunky Jesus' contest," the performer, whose real name is Joshua Grannell, said. "Yes, I support the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence," the satirical San Francisco charity organization that made headlines last month when the Dodgers disinvited them from a Pride night, only to reverse that decision due to community anger.

"Yes, my show is called 'Midnight Mass,'" Peaches Christ added. "But the Jesus and the God I believe in does not care."