As drag shows across the country continue to face threats and violence, a group of survivors has used their own experiences to compile a book of resources helping other artists protect themselves.Qommittee, a national advocacy network of drag artists and allies led by survivors of high-profile hate crimes such as the Pulse and Club Q mass shootings, has published the Drag Defense Handbook. With over 40 pages, the document demonstrates how drag artists and organizers have successfully fought back against harassment and bans. Veranda L'Ni, whose Drag Queen Story Hour was protested by White Lives Matter Ohio and the local Proud Boys chapter, was one of ten or more drag artists who sat down and shared their experiences. In 2023, one protester threw a Molotov cocktail at the Community Church of Chesterland where L'Ni was scheduled to read. Aimenn Penny, 20, pleaded guilty to using fire and explosives to commit a felony and violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, and was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison."More so than ever, we are fighting for our existence. Across the country, we're being told that we shouldn't be here, legislatively and physically," L'Ni tells The Advocate. "We are not going to back down. We have always been an entity within society. But what Qommittee has done has allowed us to take proper steps to protect ourselves, to understand our First Amendment rights, to understand that we have the ability to go into public spaces and know exactly what to do.""It applies to more than just drag performers," she adds. "This can apply to anybody who is feeling oppressed or being told that they're they shouldn't be in these spaces."The handbook contains information on what immediate steps one can take when facing threats or harassment, including how to handle bomb threats. While working with authorities can be crucial, L'Ni recognizes that some "don't have that ability, and maybe don't want to speak with local law enforcement," so the book's recommendations cover community coalitions as alternatives.The handbook also includes information about one's First Amendment rights, including keeping up with court rulings and responding to false "grooming" allegations. The majority of these fallacious accusations spread on social media, so the book features tips to protect oneself from doxxing and online harassment.Jack King Goff, who was asked to resign from his teaching job after students discovered his drag persona, helped to inform the cybersecurity section. The drag king was harassed online by Moms For Liberty, which has been designated as an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and other conservative commentators to the point where his teacher's association "could not ensure my physical protection" if he returned to the classroom. Goff's key recommendations to protect one's information online include using a VPN, data removal service, and password manager. He notes that nowadays "it seems that the majority of people's time is online instead of in real life, so protecting ourselves is just as important in those digital spaces.""It can be a very isolating experience, and the last thing we need right now is for more people to be isolated," Goff says. "In order for big change to happen, it's not going to come from one person. It's going to have to come from a a collective that comes together, has a similar or shared goal, and is able to get the job done."Goff hopes that the Drag Defense Handbook "shows those who feel alone that they aren't, and also empowers them with the tools that they need in order to keep themselves and the ones they love safe and protected." To L'Ni, the resources could help make queer communities more self-sufficient and less reliant on institutions that are not pro-LGBTQ+."We have our drag mothers and drag fathers and aunties and whoever else that takes younger drag performers under their wing," L'Ni says. "But now we actually have peer support from drag performers around the nation who've dealt with these ridiculous threats and discriminatory acts."