December 1, 2013 | Sex & Society

Drag Queen's hit Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Middle America was in for a big holiday surprise on Thursday when the cast from the musical Kinky Boots showed up to perform at the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

The show, which was written by Harvey Fierstein with music by Cyndi Lauper, tells the story of a struggling British shoe factory's straight-laced owner who works with a drag queen to save his footwear business.

"Does every parade these days really have turn into a gay pride thing?" asked SuperLatvian, who posted a video of the parade segment. "... Parents must have had a lovely time explaining to their kids who watched the parade what a 'transsexual' is or why those men dressed in such a way." (Answer: Because they're fabulous, of course!)

Other several conservative types complained, so Fierstein decided to respond: "I'm so proud that the cast of Kinky Boots brought their message of tolerance and acceptance to America's parade. Ten years ago I was humbled to ride a float dressed as Mrs. Claus, and it was the thrill of a lifetime. Congratulations to Macy's, on leading the world, not only with your salesmanship, but also your humanity."