Drag Queen Story Time

Apologies, I don't know what that video with the two men is - I meant to link this one:

Which is just a film of the draq queen showing children how to twerk.

There was a thread on challenging this last month and I particularly like a post by a poster who gave a very considered way to frame a complaint. The focus was more on the incompatibility of drag as an art-form medium and the target audience of primary/ infants. There was a bit more to it but it really highlighted how it was such an Ill-thought choice for a children’s library. It’s not like making Shakespeare or Greek tragedy appeal to primary school children which is what a lot of people might think 🤔 or fun like a pantomime. I really need to contact my local library service (am on the tour circuit for this summer season too) but am worried might scupper any chances of working for them in the future.

This DQSH keeps plugging away despite controversy and being cancelled in various locations over the last few years. So it is important to raise concerns as unless parents speak up and complain, these shows will go ahead.

Maybe ask if there will be a catwalk, twerking, underwear on show, if kids will be asked to dance for money, etc.

twitter.com/TaylerUSA/status/1533144584758382592

conservativemodern.com/drag-queen-reads-what-color-is-your-underwear-to-young-children/

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9EZ60tqJB4c

Could also ask if 'queens' will be subject to any safeguarding checks.

www.newsweek.com/sex-offender-busted-drag-queen-who-read-book-children-city-library-1365384

they have received very few complaints so no reason to cancel.

What is the number of women that matters? At what point does anyone listen to women/mothers? How many complaints does it take?

I'm not in Berkshire but I agree with your concerns. My children are older now but I remember trying to fill the long school holidays with fun activities on a budget. The local library was a frequent event as they weekly storytime and crafts that were free and child friendly. I can't help but feel this is a cynical move to expose young children to gender ideology. What book's will be read? From the photos on their site I wonder if young children would be confused and scared with heavily made up faces and costumes. It's one thing going to a pantomime seeing loud, larger than life characters on stage but, but I can't see how this is a good idea in a library.

LizzyStrata I'm in Berkshire - on Reading/Wokingham border - and I've been meaning to complain about this. You've given me the push I needed.

I would just let people vote with their feet OP. Do parents honestly see this as a positive choice for a day out? Not sure I would take mine - if its a panto Dame vibe, then maybe. But I think it would depend on the Queen and what they talk about.

Actually, that involves too muchproor research, faff and worry on my part. I think we'd just go to the park or somewhere else where I don't have to weigh up the risk of whether sexualised or mysoginistic content will be involved.

Not so far where I live. It’s something I would be very uncomfortable with and nothing to do with inclusivity (drag queens are not a social group - they’re just men who perform an often sexualised and sometimes comic version of femininity) and I’d never take my kids anywhere near it, but I probably wouldn’t try to get it cancelled unless I had specific safeguarding concerns.

Tried to complain in Leeds. And escalated, but received long wordy emails justifying it all on inclusivity grounds. And think it went ahead anyway but at a later date. If you have the name of the performer plus other sm stuff you can point the the inappropriateness .