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Original poster

Drag Queen Story Time

713 replies

LizzyStrata · 13/06/2022 10:33

First time posting here, so not sure of the etiquette. My apologies if this is the wrong place to raise these concerns.

Reading Borough Council is planning to hold Drag Queen Story Hour events in our libraries during the summer holidays. I’ve written to my MP, my councillors, and the Head of the Library Service to raise concerns. I think drag is entirely inappropriate for children, as it is a form of adult entertainment, highly sexualised and misogynistic, that blurs boundaries and undermines safeguarding.

The response Ive had is simply that they have received very few complaints so no reason to cancel.

Has anyone had any experience of tackling their local library over this issue? Grateful for any tips.

Also, if you live in Berkshire ,would you be willing to write and share your concerns?

thanks!

OP posts:
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32
Hearach15 · 26/07/2022 18:39

sistersworkitout · 26/07/2022 16:57

I've just seen this video from yesterday of the Reading DQSH and am convinced the two brave women must be mumsnetters.

Are ASBOs still a thing? If so she definitely deserves one.

No one should go into a room of children and shout "Who knows what paedophiles are?"

Hearach15 · 26/07/2022 18:36

ScrollingLeaves · 25/07/2022 23:25

^You have not answered my question about who on this thread has said the existence of LGBT people is a child safety concern?

It's implicit. No one objects when straight people tells their kids fairy tales despite the fact that these tales are often romantic in nature (that is to say, implicitly sexual).

No, it is not implicit on this thread that the existence of LGBT people is a child safety concern.

I object to that victim/black mail statement used to shut down criticism of men dressed up as a parody of sexualised women to read to children.

That criticism does not imply that the existence of LGBT people is a safety concern.

"No, it is not implicit on this thread that the existence of LGBT people is a child safety concern."

It very much is. If drags queens were straight we would not be having this discussion and idiots would not be charging into these events shouting "PEADOPHILES" at them.

Hearach15 · 26/07/2022 18:34

Penguintears · 25/07/2022 23:04

Drag Queens were definitely not reading stories to young children in public libraries in the 70s, when I was born. It is a recent trend.

Do you think it would be OK if a young boy wore a sexualised drag queen outfit on non-uniform day to school? Lipstick and wig and fake boobs and sexualised clothes. I mean, if its just fun dressing up would there be anything wrong in that?

Show quote history

"I mean, if its just fun dressing up would there be anything wrong in that?"

Yep, it is just fun dressing up and that is why I have no problem with drag queens. Glad you finally got there.

sistersworkitout · 26/07/2022 18:28

niandraladesand · 26/07/2022 17:26

Brave? Shouting about autogynephilia in a room full of children and clearly upsetting them?

The drag queen in that video isn't the one who should stay away from children.

Show quote history

It's easy to sit behind a keyboard and blather on twitter/MN every day, but it takes real guts to get out there and spread the GC message in real life.

exceptmeandmymonkey · 26/07/2022 18:26

niandraladesand · 26/07/2022 17:26

Brave? Shouting about autogynephilia in a room full of children and clearly upsetting them?

The drag queen in that video isn't the one who should stay away from children.

Show quote history

100% agree. If an unhinged person shouting about paedophilia and autogynephilia in a room full of babies and toddlers is your idea of a hero, you need to reevaluate your standards. Demented behaviour.

sistersworkitout · 26/07/2022 18:25

Gobbolinothekitchencat · 26/07/2022 17:05

Brilliant. I admire their guts. Some many police called for what appeared to be two women in the library. But when there are attacks on local young people, no police.

I couldn't believe they called the police on two women and a small child, it's totally ridiculous.

niandraladesand · 26/07/2022 17:26

sistersworkitout · 26/07/2022 16:57

I've just seen this video from yesterday of the Reading DQSH and am convinced the two brave women must be mumsnetters.

Brave? Shouting about autogynephilia in a room full of children and clearly upsetting them?

The drag queen in that video isn't the one who should stay away from children.

Gobbolinothekitchencat · 26/07/2022 17:20

But it was upsetting to see the child, in what appeared to be a disability pushchair, having to be taken out although they did sound like they were distressed at the start of the video.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/07/2022 17:10

They were brave.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/07/2022 17:09

This reply has been deleted

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Gobbolinothekitchencat · 26/07/2022 17:06

So many…not some many.

Gobbolinothekitchencat · 26/07/2022 17:05

Brilliant. I admire their guts. Some many police called for what appeared to be two women in the library. But when there are attacks on local young people, no police.

sistersworkitout · 26/07/2022 16:57

I've just seen this video from yesterday of the Reading DQSH and am convinced the two brave women must be mumsnetters.

Datun · 26/07/2022 16:30

antifascist · 26/07/2022 15:20

Lily Savage, Dame Edna Everage, Danny La Rue

3 drag artists who appeared on mainstream TV before the watershed.

Lol.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/07/2022 15:58

antifascist · Today 15:20
Lily Savage, Dame Edna Everage, Danny La Rue

3 drag artists who appeared on mainstream TV before the watershed

Lily Savage’s show
First broadcast
Sunday 16th November 1997 at 10pm on BBC One

Barry Humphries, Dame Edna Everage - non sexualised Melbourne middle-aged housewife satirising society, for adults:
Series 1, Episode 1 - Dame Edna Everage
Dame Edna Everage takes questions from a celebrity audience about her life and career.
Broadcast details
Date
Friday 26th December 1980
Time
10:15pm

Danny La Rue
Performed largely in theatres for adults, except in pantomimes as a ‘Dame’. Often impersonating famous women
Among his celebrity impersonations were Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Judy Garland, Margot Fonteyn, Marlene Dietrich and Margaret Thatcher

None of this was for children, except Danny La Rue in his parts as a pantomime Dame.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/07/2022 15:38

antifascist · Today 11:57
See that fascists attacked Reading Library - with a big banner saying
"welcome groomers"

I'm sure some will be saying they aren't really fascists. And others will as many posters are on here claiming all (gay) men are paedophiles.

And others will as many posters are on here claiming all (gay) men are paedophiles

Rubbish.
Please would you quote each of the many posters you say are on here claiming all (gay) men are paedophiles.

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 26/07/2022 15:24

Mmm the 70s

what a top time for well chosen TV content that was

taking the piss out of women: turns out it’s been in fashion for ages

antifascist · 26/07/2022 15:20

Lily Savage, Dame Edna Everage, Danny La Rue

3 drag artists who appeared on mainstream TV before the watershed.

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 26/07/2022 15:10

This reply has been deleted

This post has been deleted as it quotes a deleted post.

TastefulRainbowUnicorn · 26/07/2022 14:51

What an interesting first post Gloriayourealwaysontherunnow

Funny how comments that appear to be screenshot bait are so often followed by other comments that appear to be self-produced screenshot content, when the real women inconveniently don't say the things that they want us to say.

Almost like they have no idea what we think or believe at all, despite lurking here 24/7.

Gloriayourealwaysontherunnow · 26/07/2022 14:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

niandraladesand · 26/07/2022 14:33

Lucyam1 · 26/07/2022 12:26

Does anyone know who protested at Reading library? Was it a group of parents?

It was a far right conspiracy group who used to do anti vaccine protests, and have now moved on to doing anti LGBT protests. Here is an article about them from last year: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sovereign-citizens-uk-antivaxxers-b1947186.html

MangyInseam · 26/07/2022 14:21

The whole idea is bizarre.

If you take drag seriously on it's own terms, it makes zero sense to show it to kids, because they won't understand it, and it's clearly not appropriate for that age group.

It makes me think that there are large numbers of people who think they are into drag who actually don't take it seriously on it's own terms. They've never really thought - why would it be a thing for gay males to put on these very abstract and odd versions of femininity and perform?

The only reason they are including it as "diversity" is that it is associated with gay men, but then they are stripping away any content that actually has. In that sense it's kind of like having the characters from ^Succession" come to read for the kids - characters they won't know because they don't watch it, not only because it's an adult show with inappropriate content, but because they wouldn't understand what it was about.

Original poster
LizzyStrata · 26/07/2022 14:10

@VestofAbsurdity 😊

OP posts:
VestofAbsurdity · 26/07/2022 14:06

More to add to the Questions Never Answered pile:

What diversity and acceptance is DQSH promoting?