Smirnoff, a vodka merchant, apparently has a commercial arrangement with a transgender activist who recently participated in a “insurrection” and was forcibly removed from the Texas state capitol.
Maxine LaQueene is a transgender man who identifies as a woman. She was one of numerous activists who demonstrated at Texas’s Capitol during a legislative vote on a transgender bill.
According to the Texas Tribune:
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan abruptly cleared the public from the chamber’s gallery Tuesday, after LGBTQ Texans and parents of transgender kids chanted in opposition of a bill that would ban transition-related care for children.
Phelan ordered state police to clear the gallery just as Senate Bill 14 came to the House floor and as opponents began their chants and unrolled banners in support of trans kids. As bill opponents started filing out of the gallery, they chanted, “Trans rights are human rights.”
According to U.K. anti-trans activist Oli London, who reported on LaQueene’s business relationship with Smirnoff, he “exposed his testicles and backside” during his protest at the Texas Capitol.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Posts on LaQueene’s Instagram account had “Paid partnership with Smirnoff” branding.
A further look at the same account revealed multiple posts showing LaQueene in full drag doing promotional material for Smirnoff’s Pride 2023 Ambassadorship. One of the posts was a video ad involving LaQueene strutting in full drag for the campaign.
In the caption, she wrote, “#Ad The suspiciously large woman of Austin, Texas is here to remind you to support @smirnoff and trans entertainers! Don’t forget to tap the link in my bio and vote for Maxine to be Smirnoff’s Pride 2023 Ambassador!”
London took to social media and tweeted:
“The Trans activist who exposed his testicles and backside in the Texas capital is now claiming the police were responsible for his indecent exposure claiming:
“It was an accident that happened after DPS tried to forcibly remove me from the house.”
Drag queen Maxine LaQueene posted an Instagram video earlier today saying:
“If I show up to the capital today DPS will arrest me” while saying he was “completely speechless the fact that an accident happened” after he flashed his backside in front of women and teens.”
The Trans activist who exposed his testicles & backside in the Texas State House is complaining that he “Did not consent” to a photo of him being taken where he is seen flashing his bottom to teens and women.
He is also complaining that he will be arrested for “indecent… pic.twitter.com/t1HF9m6zjQ
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 5, 2023
“The FACE of Smirnoff. Does @SmirnoffUS think this drag queen seen here flashing his genitals at teens and women in an unlawful insurrection is helping to make the brand look Respectable?” London inquired.
The FACE of Smirnoff 🍸
Does @SmirnoffUS think this drag queen seen here flashing his genitals at teens and women in an unlawful insurrection is helping to make the brand look Respectable? pic.twitter.com/PkBOIUNRKy
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 4, 2023
“Radical Trans Activist who exposed his testicles in front of teens in the Texas State House has a long-term paid brand partnership with @SmirnoffUS. Will the brand continue to pay this man or drop him as ambassador immediately?” London questioned.
Radical Trans Activist who exposed his testicles in front of teens in the Texas State House has a long-term paid brand partnership with @SmirnoffUS 🍸
Will the brand continue to pay this man or drop him as ambassador immediately? pic.twitter.com/rTfHyslMqr
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 4, 2023
Smirnoff denied that he is now working with LaQueene, telling Fox News that he is “not currently a Smirnoff partner, and does not currently have any contract with Smirnoff.”
However, the company acknowledged collaborating with LaQueene for a promotional campaign in the fall of 2022.
