The best way Lauren Mathers can describe what happened in her community over the past month is a situation that became "out of control."

And in describing it that way, she's being very polite. 

As the executive director of Sandhills PRIDE, an LGBTQ advocacy group based in North Carolina, this was not her first time organizing a drag show. But it was the first time she'd experienced threats of violence, forcing difficult conversations about whether the Dec. 3 event should be cancelled for the safety of everyone involved. 

In the final days leading up to the show, Mathers said the pressure was so intense, "there was a moment where we all had to sit down and say, 'are we going to do this?'"

The headline drag performer said there were moments when she feared for her life.Now, Mathers is getting phone calls from reporters across the U.S. about whether she thinks a targeted attack on the local power grid that left 45,000 customers without electricity the night of the show could be linked to efforts to shut it down. She won't speculate, and police said they don't have evidence to make a link, but added they're not ruling anything out. While this is one specific story, it also serves as an example of a larger issue causing panic throughout the LGBTQ community in the United States. Drag shows have become a target for a mix of right-wing extremists, elected officials including some members of Congress and other fringe agitators. Threats of violence have led to the cancellation of some events. Police and private security have been required to keep others on schedule. 

The backlash for the Saturday performance began shortly after ads were published promoting a drag show called Downtown Divas in Southern Pines, a small town about 110 kilometres southwest of Raleigh. 

It was to be a fun night featuring local talent: Naomi Dix, a North Carolina-based drag queen was the headline performer; a Southern Pines singer was also on the bill. 

Mathers said the threats first appeared on social media: posts that included the words "lynch" and "castrate." Members of the LGBTQ community, and people associated with the show, were called "groomers" and "pedophiles."