Drag Queen Story Time at the British Library

It's the "your reference to grooming is both baseless and offensive" bit in the response that I find interest. Anyone who's ever worked in a communications role, or just interacted with businesses and institutions, will note that this is very much not the way a business or a public institution would normally communicate with the public, especially in response to a complaint or concern raised. It's unprofessional. It doesn't sound like an official communication at all, it sounds like an offended individual who is not in a role in which they're answerable to the public. The person who wrote that is in that kind of role, though. But is not behaving as if they were. And that "how dare you I am outraged and personally offended" tone is consistent when it comes to responses to concerns or complaints that in any way relate to trans or "queer" issues or events from institutions trying to be woke.

Who are they hiring for those jobs, and why are the people hired not expected to adhere to typical corporate communications guidelines? Do their management know that they're addressing the public that way? What would happen if those responded to in that way went to the papers with those responses?

I'm at the point where I'm ready to go full Machiavelli and suggest that every time anyone receives a blatantly unprofessional, emotionally laden response like that from an institution they take it straight to the tabloids as well as the broadsheets (of which only The Times and The Telegraph would agree to cover it anyway).

DARVO in action there. You are offensive for finding DQST offensive

I've had similar responses.

When I was little and used 'but everyone else is' to my parents they'd ask if I'd jump off a cliff if everyone else was

I had the same response 🙄

'On the one hand they want all of these groups to feel comfortable, but on the other, the seemingly have little respect for their values.'

That's because they don't genuinely want all groups to be comfortable, they just say they do. It's discrimination by the back door.

I did point out that the book used is a stonewall winner and that they needed looking into themselves for various reasons.

On the latest SNL, look who it is:

Well that's me put in my place.

I think she's still smarting because I thanked her for her previous (anodyne) response.

I saw a promotional tweet for one of these events at a local library during half-term - I think it is the same drag queen that was teaching twerking in Devon. I will be contacting the local council to express how inappropriate I find it.

Didn't hear the words 'validation' or 'safeguarding' at all

Almost as if there was no concerns at all.

Granada Reports on ITV doing a big piece right now on 'Drag Story Time' at a North West library. All very one-sided reporting (pro).

Whilst it's a lesser concern than safeguarding I'm also wondering wtf happened to inclusion. These events alienate so many more minorities than they include

It's an interesting version of the conundrum in a lot of contexts. On the one hand they want all of these groups to feel comfortable, but on the other, the seemingly have little respect for their values.

I worked last weekend at a family literacy day event, the area my school is in has a large black and Muslim population, and the latter group was the largest at this event. From people who were clearly pretty westernised to very conservative families. I can't even imagine how quickly that place would have cleared out had we included a drag queen story time.

Whilst it's a lesser concern than safeguarding I'm also wondering wtf happened to inclusion. These events alienate so many more minorities than they include

It's an interesting version of the conundrum in a lot of contexts. On the one hand they want all of these groups to feel comfortable, but on the other, the seemingly have little respect for their values.

I worked last weekend at a family literacy day event, the area my school is in has a large black and Muslim population, and the latter group was the largest at this event. From people who were clearly pretty westernised to very conservative families. I can't even imagine how quickly that place would have cleared out had we included a drag queen story time.

Ah yes. All very nice and wholesome entertainment.

Absolutely nothing to see here:

Whilst it's a lesser concern than safeguarding I'm also wondering wtf happened to inclusion. These events alienate so many more minorities than they include

Ew these photos are making feel sick. And wondering wtf happened to safeguarding.

Those pictures

Yes its grooming. ffs

I wonder how much they are paying the act?

Call drag queens have even said it is not appropriate. As adult entertainment I find it tasteless and it is offensive, howrever I have no wish to see it banned if others find it entertaining - I just wouldnt go.

However a public library event for children is not the place for it.

Have you made your thoughts known to the BL? You have put your point accross so well.

My response...

Thank you for your response.

I agree with your sentiment that you want to be open to all and free from discrimination.

By allowing an adult male sexualised entertainer whose act is based on a cruel and sexist appropriation of women you are discriminating against women and children.

Sexism and grooming of children has no place in libraries.

I urge you again to cancel the events.

The thing with that image I posted.... I am trying to ensure that I post this in the way I want it to come across as I would never want to imply that all drag queens or LGBT people are predators, but if you look at that image objectively:

You have a middle aged faceless male, with hand reaching out to a little faceless preschool boy, who is reaching back and looking up. It really is the sort of imagery that might be used in some sort of 'beware of child abuse' information or advert or something. The faceless male also appears to be dressed as a little girl, with ankle socks and Mary-Jane shoes on. Dressing as a little girl is a well known male fetish. Obviously we cannot see the whole outfit to see what the outfit is, it might not be a little girl. But at the same time the photo has been specifically edited or taken in this way.

Now, I'm trying to think about the thought process behind someone thinking this was a suitable image for an initiative which is all about interacting with children.

On the one hand it could be that these people are just so unaware of child abuse, safeguarding, boundaries etc that they genuinely don't see anything wrong with that image and that it wouldn't even occur to them that it could be perceived as inappropriate. And it's just a totally innocent image. But then surely people with that level of lack of awareness of working with children should not be involved with children?

Another thought process (and we all know that safeguarding is about thinking about what is unthinkable) is that someone is trying to blur boundaries of what is acceptable. Trying to encourage parents to think that a male displaying a fetish around children is acceptable because that's what 'being inclusive' is. Trying to encourage children to think that a strange man reaching out to them and taking their hand is acceptable because that's what 'being inclusive' is. Trying to encourage the public to think that questioning this kind of thing is homophobic or transphobic because its just someone expressing themselves?

I don't know, I'm trying to put things as objectively as I can after what happened with LangCleg, but I can't see an image like that on a website about an initiative directed at pre school children and not give my thoughts on it.

I remember seeing a video of a pair of male dancers at an event (looked like the southbank) when he was rather risqué and one ended up naked/or near as dammit. It was a kids event.

Latest response

Thank you for taking a look at the site. However, you may have misread that image completely…

It is actually one of those false mouths that comedians use during stand-up … it enables the child (in this instance) to control the mouth of the drag artist (in this case) … much like a ventriloquist would control its dummy. … the onlookers seem to be enjoying it.

The Drag Queen Story Time activity is just one of many activities taking part on the day. I am sure that there will be something to suit everyone’s taste. There will be no requirement for anyone to attend any activity that they find inappropriate.