Children being read stories by Drag Queens on World Book Day

"They are mocking societies expectations of what being a woman is, the are most definately not mocking what women or what being a woman actually is."

Funny how it comes across so incredibly strongly that way then.

If you dont want your children to be taught about religion then you could withdraw them and it would be an unarthorised absence, why would you expect it to be any different?

Because you can withdraw your children from religious activities.

Advocating teaching tolerance of misogyny in schools? Srsly? Will they bring on a minstrel show next?

"The only shit imposed on you children would be that they can wear a dress and makeup and still be a boy and that wearing a dress and make up isnt part of being a girl."

"wearing a dress and make up isnt part of being a girl."

At what point is this taught? I'd say it reinforces very strongly and in the worst possible way what the expectations are around femininity, and simultaneously that they are ridiculous.

This is a difficult enough conflict to get to grips with as an adult, let alone as a child.
Be pretty but not too pretty
Wear makeup but not too much
Wear heels but it needs to be effortless - no stumbling! hahahaha
Be sexy but not too sexy
Be demure >> to be otherwise is hilariously obscene
and so on

If femininity didn't exist then what would drag be based on? What would be the joke?

Now you tell me I need to get a man to tell me, a woman, why me reacting negatively to men dressed in stereotypical women's clothes, with over-played feminine voices, mannerisms etc, is in fact the wrong reaction?

I actually got taught about drag by my female dsd, who dresses up in drag and designs costumes and does makeup for drag events. You dont need to be taught by a man but you dont seem to understand the concept, Drag queens are apposed to gender stereotypes as much as you! They are mocking societies expectations of what being a woman is, the are most definately not mocking what women or what being a woman actually is.

The issue here is that you don't like an activity which has been deemed totally appropriate by the school. I think we can safely assume there won't be any sexualised antics going on unless the school board have absolutely lost the plot. It is genuinely no different to taking your kids to a pantomime (except fewer ageist jokes at the expense of old women...). If you have such a problem with this that you don't consider it acceptable you can choose to 'protect' your children but you have to accept the unauthorised absence just like you would if you felt uncomfortable with your kids being taught about religion or sexual education or any other topic parents sometimes get in a twist about.

Yes, if anything that is what drag queens are mocking, societies pereception of femininity

I don't think drag acts are mocking anything. To refer back to that stupid article about appropriation drag acts appropriated the ultra glamourous style of female Hollywood actors and before Hollywood the ultra glamourous style of female music hall entertainers.

It's absurd to say that it isn't using the idea of woman and femininity as a negative

See above. I don't think it is being used as a negative unless you think femininity is always and in itself something lesser. I don't.

No, you can withdraw your child from religious worship without it being considered an unauthorised absence.

This is starting to sound like the excuses for "banter". If we don't laugh along, even when the joke is at our expense, then we're humourless and "taking it the wrong way".

And have them marked down as a day's unathorised absence...

Because thats what it is? If you dont want your children to be taught about religion then you could withdraw them and it would be an unarthorised absence, why would you expect it to be any different?

..think you're the only person that has ever seen a drag act?

@DietCokeGirrrrrl it's not in the curriculum. There will be a myriad of ways to deliver content on tolerance and inclusion, this is one head teacher's individual choice.

"Have you every spoken to a drag queen and learnt about drag?"

No, but I've seen it on telly an enormous amount given that it's a popular form of entertainment.

And ever since I was a child I have found it uncomfortable and felt that it was taking the piss out of women.

Now you tell me I need to get a man to tell me, a woman, why me reacting negatively to men dressed in stereotypical women's clothes, with over-played feminine voices, mannerisms etc, is in fact the wrong reaction?

WTF

Is this some more of the re-education we've been hearing that so many women need?

@upsideup do you th

@snibbleagain tbh that's just the price you have to pay as a parent if you disagree with the curriculum. If your opposition to an event that the school has deemed appropriate is such that you can't let your kids participate, then take the hit on the unauthorised absence. Parents don't get total control over how and what their kids learn in this country (thank god, otherwise who knows what might happen...)

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth

Op have you ever spoken to a drag queen? Talked about what drag actually is and what it intends to do? The only shit imposed on you children would be that they can wear a dress and makeup and still be a boy and that wearing a dress and make up isnt part of being a girl. If you think that is shit then fine.

@DietCokeGirrrrrl you think it's great, that's wonderful for you - take your child to the library. The event being discussed is at a school where the parents aren't getting a choice. They are being told that their only choice is to take an unauthorised absence if they don't agree that a drag queen act is appropriate.

It must be tiring to be so mad at every little thing

"If you aren't keen just don't let your children go!"

And have them marked down as a day's unathorised absence...

upsideup

I'm not so sure - I think this was true in many ways when I was a child (late 70s / early 80s) but I think as women have forged ahead in some areas - we are getting heavily pushed back in others.

At our primary school and preschool the pink / blue and superhero / princess divide has been total, stark and unquestioned (except by me hahaha and all the mums roll their eyes at my "unisex" party plates lol)

They did this at my local library, the kids loved it. They behave in a totally age appropriate way for children and it's a great chance for children to learn about performativity and the ideology of drag, which is part of our rich and diverse cultural history

If you aren't keen just don't let your children go!

Extra humour is provided not just in the dressing up, but in mocking the more extreme forms of femininity which are forced down girls throats via all of our media, and through social approval. Clothing with high heels, makeup. Big hair. Exaggerated mannerisms >> giggling, stance, and so on. So on the one hand, they are aware that this is how girls and women are "supposed" to be, on the other hand they know that this is mocked. Difficult one to navigate.

Yes, if anything that is what drag queens are mocking, societies pereception of femininity, the expectations of how women should behave, not actual women and what it means to actually be a woman.
None of those things you mentioned a part of being a woman at all and drag shows that, male drag queens can do all that and still be male. Have you every spoken to a drag queen and learnt about drag? or just been offended and cut them off? I think you would be suprised.