Drag Queen Story Time - and a business opportunity for the GC

ReeseWitherfork · Today 22:19
That Guardian article goes on to talk about how even Mr Tumble is “drag” when he dresses as Aunt Polly. I mean, I think they’re being deliberately obtuse. But even if that is technically correct, it’s such a stretch to say you can’t be offended by “slutty” “ditsy” “catty” Drag Queens and not Mr Tumble FGS.

The writer is either disingenuous or not fit to be a journalist imo. It is the same false argument as the one that DQs are no different from pantomime dames.
I personally don’t much like pantomime dames either, but there is no way they are the same as dqs.

Compare and contrast the screen shot images below of Aida H Dee and Aunt Polly.
(I did not draw on the Aida H Dee one by the way.)

I’ve not seen Ru Pauls Drag Race so I do think I’m probably not best to say too much but just from the adverts it looks horrendous, and exactly the sort of “Drag” that I take offence to. It’s not men breaking down barriers around what they should typically avoid wearing (dresses, heels, make up) but rather ripping women to absolute shreds.

That Guardian article goes on to talk about how even Mr Tumble is “drag” when he dresses as Aunt Polly. I mean, I think they’re being deliberately obtuse. But even if that is technically correct, it’s such a stretch to say you can’t be offended by “slutty” “ditsy” “catty” Drag Queens and not Mr Tumble FGS.

So are they paying for Asian Story Time? Disabled Story Time?

I heard a suggestion of “lesbian grandmother’ story time, sounds great!

If it was a test, no-one would have left at all, and there would have been announcements from staff that a test was planned.

And SS's own tweet is circumstantial evidence that it wasn't a planned test, either. He thought it was unplanned, and bargained on there being no fire at all.

Bad, isn't it?

The library later said they were expecting the alarm to go off but they wouldn't give me a comment when I emailed them the day it happened. It's all dead weird and yeh, worryingly unsafe.

P.S. it's the author who found this. Not me. I'm just putting it here too.

This man doesn't seem to think any rules should apply to him.

If he can't follow one of the simplest H&S rules we have ("if it's an unscheduled activation of the fire alarm, leave and do not return until you're told it's safe to do so"), then why trust his judgement on safeguarding, when that is more complex and nuanced?

• It's ok to introduce children to drag culture (look no further than the US to see kids doing sexualised dances, sl*t drops and twerking. Of course this is a natural next step)
• It's ok to have sexual, misogynist & highly politicised content on your public story time social media (for children to find)
• It's ok to show an outline of a penis through a costume (in front of children)
• It's ok to ignore a fire alarm and not evacuate as long as you think a troublemaker set it off and if you're having fun

Read the link above, womanittee.

Here is Aida being smug later on. And what if it hadn't been a false alarm? What if it had been an actual fire, in this weather? Every second counts when evacuating a building, especially when there are people present who aren't independently mobile, such as babes-in-arms and toddlers.

Well, if it hadn't been a false alarm, multiple people might not have survived, including him is what. It is an incredibly bad idea to wait - ^on the top floor, no less! - in a building until the smoke or the flames become visible to you where you are. That's basically waiting to get trapped.

The fire alarm goes off? You leave.

Good grief. I don't have expletives strong enough for this.

Not only have you corroborated that the public libraries were indeed shut to anyone who just wanted to use the library, but now I find out that someone at one branch took the decision to ignore the fire alarm when it went off, and they didn't evacuate the children attending.

This is fucked up.

We've been idly discussing whether lesbian story hour would be as well received.

Obviously I'm in, and to prove I'm good at telling stories, here's a shameless plug of the article I wrote about Leeds DQSH.

grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/wont-somebody-actually-think-of-the

Debbie Hayton has been reporting on events for the Spectator.

The libraries aren't a private venue, but it appears they are being made a private venue, for the duration of SS's visits.

Those protesting against the appearance of Sab Samuel, a drag queen who goes by the stage name Aida H Dee, were clear what they thought. 'It's wrong. This is aimed at toddlers and these kids don’t understand,' a man in his 50s said.

In relative silence, a dozen or so woman huddled with their children. Three and four year-olds stood with eyes wide open looking at the astonishing scenes outside their library.

It was harder to engage with the other group. They were younger and angrier. Masks were almost ubiquitous; many were also hooded and hid their faces behind dark glasses. But their feelings were equally clear as they chanted: 'Say it loud, say it clear, drag queens are welcome here.'

(continues)

Eventually the library admitted those with tickets. Everyone else was kept outside, including a regular stream of library users. But this was a Thursday like no other.

(continues)

This part of the city is not so well off, but the ticket holders were a similar demographic: women with young children. Again library staff stood across the door: no ticket, no entry. A second battalion of police were on hand in the wings. But here, the inspector in charge let the two groups mingle, and some common ground was found. Being a very British protest, two women found an interest in each other’s dogs. There was also a shared concern for children. This, after all, was why everyone was here.

(continues)

Suddenly a car containing Aida H Dee zipped out of the back entrance and signalled another dash – this time to Stockwood Library in the south of the city. More women with more children, more police. Another fee collected by the performer; another library closed to the public.

The Spectator

£150 per show. This is the going rate for solo entertainers at a smallish to middling venue.

SS will be classed as a professional entertainer so this is reasonable.

Whether you want your tax payers money to go towards this is another question (I don't and would write to my council), it's not a private venue.

This is what I was told by someone who was asking questions of a town in a city not far from me which was listed on the tour. I presume he's there for a couple of hours — don't imagine he travels in full drag queen rig, presume he also has transport costs and possibly security costs. So £350 seems justifiable.

I've just emailed Rochdale to say thanks and never again please.

I think the standard charge for DQSH was £350 and he was sometimes doing three a day.

?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words failed me when I read that.

All good questions.

All doomed to go unanswered by those who should be answering them.

Most mums and grand parents go into schools for free to talk about their day jobs or read with the kids...
I think a lot of people would get on board to do this for libraries during the summer holidays or at other times of year.

Most libraries around me have story and rhyme time already.

It has come as a surprise to me that money changed hands for dqst. Must be easier than worrying that a volunteer won't turn up.

Good plan! Think it was £150 an hour. Don't quote me though.

I know a lesbian roofer, a lesbian plumber and a lesbian doctor who might all be persuaded to turn up in working gear, talk for a few minutes about themselves and their work, and then read some feminist (ie non-binary) stories.

I think the standard charge for DQSH was £350 and he was sometimes doing three a day. The doctor might not leave home for £1000 a day, but the roofer and the plumber would.

Begin, not begging.

Re the screen shot I posted earlier about a
drag queen’s objections to his library story time for children having being cancelled by Rochdale Council,, and his call for people to write to the council to complain,

I have just written to Rochdale Council to thank them for cancelling their DQST, giving my reasons as briefly as possible. Perhaps now they have done this other councils will begging to reflect a bit more about this practice.
mailto:[email protected]

Maybe you could point out your alternative ideas to them OP?

You’d be at the very least the voice of a not far-right, not anti-vaxxer.

Yes, peaked makes sense!

Honestly, I don't know. I think it's become more mainstream because of Ru Paul Drag Race. Even then, they call women "fish" and they have an acronym Courage / Uniqueness / Nerve / Talent... I think that's right... More like Disgusting / Inane / Crass / Kn_b.

I tried to watch it once, it's very b*tchy, very sassy. I couldn't get past the 5 minute mark!