'The View' explodes over criticism of drag queens: They 'don't even like children!'

The co-hosts of ABC’s "The View" on Friday trashed conservatives over their legislative efforts and rhetoric against "gender-affirming care" and drag queen performances, with multiple hosts giving impassioned speeches on the subject.

The talk show panel called GOP bills on such issues an effort to promote "fear," as well as "paranoia and hysteria" about drag queens and LGBTQ issues. 

During the discussion, co-host Ana Navarro exclaimed that drag queens "don’t even like children." 

LAWS PROTECTING GENDER SURGERIES FOR CHILDREN ADVANCE IN WASHINGTON, OREGON OVER REPUBLICAN OBJECTIONS

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg went so far as to accuse anti-woke conservatives of making LGBTQ kids feel like "they don’t deserve to live." 

The discussion really picked up with Navarro’s impassioned defense of the transgender community and drag queens, by stating that the Republican Party is passing bills to antagonize them. 

"This is all for political gain and for political purposes. Republicans do this all the time, have done it very effectively," she said.

Navarro mentioned how in previous decades the wedge issues Republicans used to stoke fear with were gay marriage and immigration. 

"In 2024, the issue is transgender, because we’re past gay marriage. That ship has sailed. And it’s this idea of driving people to the polls through fear, through anger, through angst, through the stress, through the — you know, the paranoia and hysteria that drag queens are coming for your children," she said.

Blasting the idea that drag queens are trying to influence children, Navarro proclaimed, "People, let me tell you this, drag queens don’t even like children. They don’t tip, and they don’t drink, you know!" Her co-hosts and the crowd laughed.

KANSAS GOV. KELLY VETOES TRANS BATHROOM, YOUTH SEX CHANGE BANS

Some drag shows have prompted bills in red states like Tennessee and Florida to regulate where they can be performed so children are not exposed to them. 

Navarro argued, "No child is driving themselves to a drag show," and then advocated for parents who take kids to such shows being punished, not the drag queens.

"Leave the drag queens alone, man!" she said, exasperated. 

Co-host Sara Haines jumped in, arguing that drag queen story hours are fine because they are presenting "children’s reading material, and they’re reading and entertaining them."

The conversation then turned to LGBTQ youth and "gender-affirming care." 

Haines argued the percentage of youth that undergo any gender surgery is small and that conservatives are making a bigger deal of it than they should.

Goldberg opted for a different point, interjecting, "None of this is anybody’s business!" Visibly angry, she continued, "But this is the part that I don’t understand — you are telling me that I don’t know my family. You’re telling me that I don’t know my kid. I’m telling you, you don’t know my kid! You don’t know what I’m going through! You don’t know what I need, and you’re not asking me!"

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

"You’re making them feel like they don’t deserve to be here and that they don’t deserve to live," she added.

Goldberg then yelled into the camera, "This is on your hands!"

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said the Republican Party is "alienating the LGBTQ+ community" and even conservatives like her who are allies.

The show normally prides itself on hitting that day's hot topics, but due to apparently being taped before Thursday evening, it didn't address the federal indictment of former President Donald Trump. Navarro, who still remains a Republican despite openly detesting the party and campaigning for Democrats, posted a celebratory video about the indictment to her Instagram page.