Drag Queen Story Time

Yes you're right @ControversialOpening . In fact one off performances with where children are supervised don't even require the basic dbs. There are rules around the lawful requests of asking for a dbs under the rehabilitation of offenders act. But I do think people should be aware that a basic dbs does not include a search under the SOR. I'm wary of all child entertainers not just DQSH. Some obtain a basic DBS and some an enhanced.

"You would need an Enhanced DBS check. This is what organisations where contact with children and vulnerable adults occurs would always request."

Isn't an enhanced check for those who will be left alone with children/vulnerable adults, sometimes for long periods? Teachers, care assistants, etc.

Basic DBS is for those who will not be left alone with children - school visitors for example.

Even the sensible drag queens agree that this is not for children!

Drag Queen Kitty Demure : “I have absolutely no idea why you would want [a drag act] to influence your child, would you want a stripper or porn star to influence your child?” summit.news/2020/01/20/actual-drag-queen-slams-woke-parents-for-allowing-their-kids-to-be-around-drag-queens

These resources might be useful for anyone else concerned about this, and/or in the process of writing to their councils to complain:

twitter.com/FamEdTrust/status/1536674208087949312?t=stF8o41w5LkkgUtGCLnTwQ&s=19

familyeducationtrust.org.uk/letter-to-send-to-local-libraries-to-object-to-drag-queen-story-hour/

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2022/01/09/drag-queen-story-hour/

www.spiked-online.com/2020/03/03/drag-queen-story-time-is-not-okay/

scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=3209&context=cklawreview

While I support people voting with their feet, a generation of parents has been groomed (not least thanks to things like the BBC airing Rupaul's Drag Race) - putting these events on only serves to normalize this. Many people think 'if it's in a library, it must be ok/safe/educational/trustworthy'.

Exactly this!

I raised exactly this point in my complain to Wokingham Borough Council. They just dismissed it, saying they are committed to diversity blah blah. Actions speak louder than words!

I am taking my complaint to Stage 2. This is unacceptable and my concerns have essentially been dismissed out of hand because the library service is totally captured.

You would need an Enhanced DBS check. This is what organisations where contact with children and vulnerable adults occurs would always request.

I wonder if the Libraries (and schools!) granting access have done their own risk assessments and are aware?

And let’s not forget… www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10725407/amp/Victims-blast-controversial-law-lets-sex-pests-escape-punishment-saying-SORRY.html

would this show up in a check? Of someone had changed identity, do they have to disclose their past identity?

You're kidding me? SRO inclusion wouldn't show on a DBS? WTF is even the point of them, then?

I agree @KittenKong but it's also important to remember that a basic check will show all unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It will not highlight spent convictions or someone being on a Barred List like the Sex Offenders' Register.

Ah, when I think of the times it's taken a solitary tweet from an activist for a company to remove single-sex facilities, I reflect on the power asymmetry and wonder why it still disadvantages those who were previously known as belonging to the sex class of women.

The thing about the DBS check - enhanced or otherwise - it just means you haven’t be caught doing anything. It doesn’t mean that you’ve had a minutes safeguarding or child protection training and I somehow doubt that this crowd are trained teachers…

It doesn't really matter whether children find twerking 'amusing'. Children will have all sorts of responses to sexually inappropriate behaviour from adults; this doesn't mean pole-dancing, twerking, stripteases or grinding are things that they should be exposed to.

I’m in berks and I saw someone raised concerns on a local fb group. They were pretty much shouted down, called a transphobe, told to deal with it etc. They had posted anonymously but got called every name under the sun and also a coward for not using their name!

The summer tour seems to be covering very many libraries.:

Reading
Crewe
Bristol
London
Cornwall
Brighton
Portsmouth
Leeds
Powys
VO Glamorgan
Awen
Cardiff
Blackpool
Stockton
Rochdale
Bolton
Somerset
Oxfordshire
Wokington
Guernsey

www.instagram.com/dragqueenstoryhouruk/

For what it's worth, I think this performer is just misguided, ill-informed about safeguarding and politically promulgates some highly questionable dogma mixed in with bright & cheerful memes about love and acceptance.

I know others have other views, particularly on some of the costumes and the name choice.

That the one named after ADHD?

Mental disabilities? Not heard that term used in a very long time.

OP, I’m in Berkshire and I’d like to write too. Can you share what address you used, and any name you might have?

There’s a few photos of the person who does dqsh in a ‘state of arousal’ during these events. Very obvious in their costume and yet every venue seems to ignore it I can’t fathom why who am i kidding, we all know why

We understand safety, so as standard all performers on our team will hold at a minimum a valid Basic DBS check. Not only are our DBS checks performed regularly, we train all our story-tellers in child to performer interaction, inclusivity training for audience members who may have physical or mental disabilities, and how to answer FAQ by children. See the full Policy here -> file download

This is on the website for Drag Queen Story Hour. A basic DBS check? Shouldn't it be an enhanced full DBS check in view of the involvement of working with children? I take it they are not left alone with children but they will be in close proximity in an intimate space. They are projecting to young children and background checks should be beyond scrutiny.

Perhaps you could also ask them if they have ever hosted a story time where a disabled or BAME person read the stories? Why the fuck do councils think DQSH is acceptable? What diversity/protected characteristic is this highlighting? It's just men misogynistically and offensively parodying women.