FACT CHECK: No, Reba McEntire Did Not Say Drag Queens Shouldn’t Be Around Kids

A post shared on Facebook claims country singer and actress Reba McEntire said drag queens shouldn’t be around kids.  

Verdict: False

There is no evidence McEntire said this.

Fact Check: 

McEntire received some backlash after posting to X about National Redhead Day on Nov. 5, which also happened to be Election Day, some X users accusing her of having inappropriate timing, according to Newsweek. The post showed pictures of herself wearing different hairstyles along with the caption, “Long or short, either way I love being a redhead! #NationalRedheadDay,” the outlet reported.

A post claims McEntire made an anti-drag statement. It shows an image of drag queens alongside a photo of McEntire smiling.

Large overlaid text reads, “Drag Queens Shouldn’t Be Around Kids.” The post’s caption reads, “Reba McEntire States Drag Queens Shouldn’t Be Around Kids.”

This claim is baseless, however. There are no credible news reports about McEntire saying this. (RELATED: Does Florida Legislation Impose The Death Penalty For Admitting Children To Drag Shows?) 

The post links to an article from a nondescript site named “Topcelebnews,” which does not appear to be a legitimate news outlet. The article does not provide any evidence for her having made this statement. Instead, it reports that she was “disappointed” in an anti-drag bill that was signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, which is actually true, according to a March 2023 Advocate article. Of state legislators, she said, “I wish they would spend that much time and energy and money on feeding the homeless children,” the outlet reported.