Drag Queen Story Time at the British Library

Well goosefoot thats what tells you this is not about diversity. It is all about sexual boundaries.

I think though it would be kind of weird to have "man in a dress" story time at the library. Or "black woman" story time. "disabled person" story time?

At best it's trying too hard. Kind of like missionaries bringing in someone from a far off tribe to educate the masses.

But that's not what drag queens are.
A camp man on a regular dress reading stories to kids would not require being an entire event. It would blend in with staff or authors they bring in to read their books.

A drag queen is something entirely different

but I really couldn't care less if she sees a man in a dress on TV, on in the street, or at an event. I'm not desperate for it, but I certainly don't have an issue with it

I've seen a few young men on the street in skirts in recent times...and I have quite appreciated that - and have even said to them how nice it is to see a man in a skirt without thinking he's a woman.

But drag is different......

Once again you are pretending to missunderstand what people are taking issue with.

Yeah, I mean I wouldn't call this 'a camp man in a dress'...

Just... What's the point of this for toddlers and preschool children? What's in it for them?

I don't think anybody should make sexualised comments in front of kids - honestly, I've cringed at some stuff that's said at pantos, hence why I made the connection.

I just don't think that a camp man wearing clothes traditionally worn by women is unsuitable to read a story to kids. Without all of the problematic stuff, which is clearly problematic. Sounds like some of you agree. That's all I was curious about, really.

I really couldn't care less if she sees a man in a dress on TV, on in the street, or at an event. I'm not desperate for it, but I certainly don't have an issue with it.

You can literally watch any episode of giggle quiz or giggle bits and see Justine Fletcher in a dress.
This is not what the issue is.

Well no, clearly not. As I'm literally making the case for DQST teaching kids they don't have to do this - they don't have to conform to gender norms, they can just be whoever they are

But isn't the nature of drag to dramatise and be really over the top, rather than natural? Grayson Perry, on the other hand, does go about his 'thing' by just being himself - albeit dressed in over the top female attire.

You seem to be dilibrately missing the fact it's a drag act performing for children salt, which people have issue with not a "Camp man in a dress"

Queer theory.

How and why has this become a thing? I just do not get it at all

Out of interest - if they didn't make any misogynistic comments, would you still have a problem with it

If it was inappropriately sexualised, yes. Otherwise no.

*But the little girls don’t get the positive role models while the fun story time happens, only the little boys.

Bit sexist, isn’t it?*

What? not every entertainer has to be a role model to everybody, surely? Some people can just... entertain?

But yeah - I don't want my DD to grow up thinking men have to be super macho or whatever, or for her to have in any way homophobic or transphobic views. Obviously I'm working hard personally to make sure she grows up to be tolerant of everybody, but I really couldn't care less if she sees a man in a dress on TV, on in the street, or at an event. I'm not desperate for it, but I certainly don't have an issue with it.

Well no, clearly not.

Oh ok, just your weird framing then. "You don't want kids to be given hormones". Never mind.

Well no, clearly not. As I'm literally making the case for DQST teaching kids they don't have to do this - they don't have to conform to gender norms, they can just be whoever they are

If a couple.of dbs checked men turned up in a sensible skirt or dress along side female police officers and mechanics or a male dancer then there wouldnt be a problem.

But they bring in drag queens. Drag queens themselves say its not a children's act. This is nothing more than grooming children into thinking men.parading their fetish in.public is normal.

largely

Out of interest - if they didn't make any misogynistic comments, would you still have a problem with it

I don't think I would, no.......Justin dresses up as female characters on Cbeebies and it is laregly inoffensive fun ( largely for the parents, I'd say - adult humour)..... I think my granddaughter looks at it and does not quite know what to make of it...( she's 5).

Pantomimes and pantomime dames are not about claiming to 'educate' children about LGBT stuff either are they? They are just part of a wider, silly, performance of a well known fairytale usually, which often features women dressing up as men, gunging or pie facing people and some songs.

I wouldn't care if a Panto didn't have a dame tbh.

This is not about bending gender norms. This is about reinforcing them - women are ludicrous and either highly sexualised or repellent or both.

If this was a man in a dress reading a story I’d be delighted. Boy George wearing makeup to read a story fine. A lesbian in a suit reading a story fine. Grotesque parody of womanhood sexualised and stigmatised (fish jokes) no thank you. It’s men eroding parents’ boundaries around sexualised content for children - in a sodding library.

they can just be whoever they are.
How does this work, drag acts are a man being a fictional character, it's not who they are.

www.thepostmillennial.com/drag-queen-flashes-young-children-at-drag-queen-story-hour/

*If you guys don't want kids to be encouraged into taking hormones and stuff,

Just us then? Does that mean you do? Or are just ambivalent about it?*

Well no, clearly not. As I'm literally making the case for DQST teaching kids they don't have to do this - they don't have to conform to gender norms, they can just be whoever they are.

But the little girls don’t get the positive role models while the fun story time happens, only the little boys.

Bit sexist, isn’t it?

Yeah... that's where I'm confused. I've heard plenty of pretty misogynistic, risqué jokes told by pantomime dames. I don't understand why this is considered a new phenomenon

it isn't a new phenomenon - but the pantomime dames were always, really, for the adults...not for the children......I remember as a child feeling a bit weirded out by them.

And besides, many things used to be presented as family entertainment which simply wouldn't be considered appropriate now.
Times have changed.