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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

A library thought it appropriate to book this 'entertainment' for children and I feel sick

633 replies

flashbac · 11/07/2021 23:04

I thought it was a joke, a photoshop job, a hoax even but it's not.

WTF

A children's entertainer in a library with this costume?

twitter.com/StandingforXX/status/1414247886242598912?s=19

What the hell is this?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
beastlyslumber · 12/07/2021 10:32

Sorry, I am finding this hard to process. What the hell is going on that ANYONE, let alone anyone remotely involved in children's services thinks that this is okay? I'm genuinely feeling distressed by this. And who the hell is voting YABU? Explain yourselves.

LittleMyTopKnot · 12/07/2021 10:32

secondrow, I feel sick

DevonTF · 12/07/2021 10:33

@Pissinthepottyplease
Thanks for the advise - I had emailed the library asking for their complaints policy.
I have instead gone straight to Devon County Council - safeguarding team. If I don't get a proper response, will fill in the LADO form.

Anyone else from Devon on here (the library covers the Exeter and Torquay sites) - please complain too. The more voices - the more likely they will be forced to take it seriously.

Whilst Redbridge is rightly under fire - Exeter have quietly got away with openly condoning it.

ForeverAintEnough3 · 12/07/2021 10:34

Also this on their website - according to Twitter removed last night “ nothing makes them happier than a gentle stroke

A library thought it appropriate to book this 'entertainment' for children and I feel sick
A library thought it appropriate to book this 'entertainment' for children and I feel sick
MrsOvertonsWindow · 12/07/2021 10:34

@Thevenerableswede

Our voices as women and feminists count for nothing in this brave new world. Please stop talking about LGBTQ+ community. As a lesbian and a feminist I absolutely reject this in every way. I and many others are not part of this so called community. However when we speak out about many concerns we have we are hounded out and relegated by those who say we shouldn’t be speaking about them on this forum, or we get banned and deleted for pointing out instances of grooming behaviour by men. THIS is what it is leading to. Knowledgable women who have research and information about safeguarding have also been banned. We are told that it is fine for a male to be sitting in a spa for women and children, with his genitals out next to the child. Time to wake up to what is going on. And for the few that are saying YABU ...let’s hear your reasoning.
Great post. This applies to all of us. It is increasingly evident that society is in the grip of organisations determined to roll back child safeguarding as well as the rights of women to privacy from the opposite sex when vulnerable. We all need to overcome our fears of being called bigot and start speaking out - loudly. What is happening is not OK.
candycane222 · 12/07/2021 10:38

Jesus forever that's disgusting 🤮

shouldistop · 12/07/2021 10:41

They're complete liars when they've said they weren't aware of the costume.

A library thought it appropriate to book this 'entertainment' for children and I feel sick
Tibtom · 12/07/2021 10:42

Please stop talking about LGBTQ+ community. As a lesbian and a feminist I absolutely reject this in every way

I accept that the 'LGBTQ+ community' does not represent many many individual who fall under these letters. Nevertheless where this is how it is branded and how it is presented and therefore is the only name for this group we have to respond to.

Whinge · 12/07/2021 10:43

@ForeverAintEnough3

Also this on their website - according to Twitter removed last night “ nothing makes them happier than a gentle stroke
Oh my goodnes that is disgusting. Shock

They're not even trying to be subtle about what the child is stroking.

Changemaname1 · 12/07/2021 10:44

I fkin despair

Gross.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 12/07/2021 10:46

I don't understand why they want the 'LGBT community' betrayed in this way. They are supposed to be just normal people. What's wrong g with getting actors in dressed as actual characters from stories to read those stories. Including characters of the opposite sex.

PoisoningPigeons · 12/07/2021 10:48

Just. W.T.F. Am. I. Looking. At.

Winniewonka · 12/07/2021 10:49

As a library worker I can safely say there's absolutely no way on earth that this act would have been booked by us.
Please don't make the mistake of thinking libraries are no longer safe places for your children to go. They still are.
I hope those booking this act will be held to account and those sharing tweets are severely reprimanded. If it's volunteers, they should be let go.
As a matter of principle we don't have volunteers doing the work of people who may have been made redundant.
Our volunteers are usually mature adults helping less confident adults to grow their IT skills. Everyone needs DBS checking.
I am really shocked that this has happened. It's certainly not the image most libraries are hoping to portray.

CaveMum · 12/07/2021 10:49

@Thevenerableswede

Our voices as women and feminists count for nothing in this brave new world. Please stop talking about LGBTQ+ community. As a lesbian and a feminist I absolutely reject this in every way. I and many others are not part of this so called community. However when we speak out about many concerns we have we are hounded out and relegated by those who say we shouldn’t be speaking about them on this forum, or we get banned and deleted for pointing out instances of grooming behaviour by men. THIS is what it is leading to. Knowledgable women who have research and information about safeguarding have also been banned. We are told that it is fine for a male to be sitting in a spa for women and children, with his genitals out next to the child. Time to wake up to what is going on. And for the few that are saying YABU ...let’s hear your reasoning.
DeeCeeCherry · 12/07/2021 10:50

Apparently due to outrage, Redbridge Live have cancelled all future events with this organisation.

The fact they felt (a) it was fine to book this organisation and (b)this organisation appear at childrens' events is entirely disturbing. Inasmuch that, it's an onwards march towards forcing children into sexual awareness, and to view adults sexually.

Are voices loud enough on this issue of men bulldozing their perversions into plain sight? It's a difficult one as this kind of thing has been going on for a good while now but protest against it stirs up the "Not All Men" and "You Are Anti" crew.

So, how far will it go? Will everyone wake up when "indecent exposure" is no longer a crime? When men getting their rocks off by dangling their cock and balls in front of women and children in fact other men who may be offended too - and any protest against that is seen as being prudish/trampling on their rights?

It's an aggression towards women too. Women who took their children to the library, only to be faced with this.

Heads should roll at Redbridge. The library manager would have directly known about this and agreed to the booking. & From the organisation's website it's very clear what theyre about. So, Redbridge knew what they were getting.

I'd like to know who requested that this organisation be booked and approached Library management with that request.

I can't find the Tweet but I did see that a Councillor says he was unaware of this situation and would be dealing with the matter today.

But I really believe that this kind of thing will only be stopped in its tracks when men en masse wake up and get mad because 'I don't want my wife/sister/daughter faced with all this'....

It's always men 1st.

candycane222 · 12/07/2021 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FlorenceinSummer · 12/07/2021 10:52

My kids at the time 4 and 6 loved the naked figures at Eden Project for the "what if we didn't have plants" (where the wooden puppet charactors started off dressed and ended up totally knacked and fully anatomically correct) they had a few questions, mainly "can we watch that again" :D

FlorenceinSummer · 12/07/2021 10:53

*naked

VeryLongBeeeeep · 12/07/2021 10:53

One of the most basic rules of safeguarding is "no scared castes". It doesn't matter if you're straight, gay, bi, trans, non-binary, Charles on Tuesdays and Charlotte on Sundays, white, black, brown, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, atheist or a fucking rainbow monkey...no one is being personally insulted by being subject to safeguarding rules, which should always work on the basis of "imagine the worst case scenario and close as many loopholes as you can". Children's safety comes first, always, and if you're trying to circumvent safeguarding whether in the name of "inclusivity" or for any other excuse, no matter how well-meaning or misguided, then you are a threat to children's safety. Simple as that.

And anyone who voted YABU wants their fucking hard drives examined.

VeryLongBeeeeep · 12/07/2021 10:54

*sacred

SecondRow · 12/07/2021 10:57

@candycane222, yes exactly. It comes across as libraries patting each other on the back and promoting such events to other woke librarians – rather than putting on events in the first place that are child-centred and appropriate and support the actual goals of literacy and a love of books.

HaveringWavering · 12/07/2021 11:02

[quote candycane222]@SecondRow did you see the reply to that tweet from sussex libraries? It certainly sounds a bit like proseletysation (sp?) to me. I wonder if they can explain why "queering the library" is a good thing and exactly who benefits from this?[/quote]
If I understand correctly, the phrase “the library is open” (as quoted in that tweet by Sussex Libraries) is a reference to a segment of RuPaul’s drag race in which the contestants “read” each other, which means that they take turns to insult each other as bitchily and personally as possible. RuPaul sets them off with “the library is open”. It’s very funny, done well, but absolutely not suitable for children as it could lead to bullying.

I’m not against the idea of Drag Queen Story time though because what’s the difference between that and taking them to see Widow Twanky in the panto or watching Mr Tumble in his panto dame character? However they need to be careful about all the double entendres and close-to-the -bone humour.

beastlyslumber · 12/07/2021 11:02

Please don't make the mistake of thinking libraries are no longer safe places for your children to go. They still are.

It doesn't seem like it, tbh.

OwningAllMyMistakes · 12/07/2021 11:02

@househousehousefox

Oh god thats vile. how is that legal?
Is it illegal to have a costume with a swinging appendage 🤔
OwningAllMyMistakes · 12/07/2021 11:05

@TheFairyCaravan

Fucking hell! Whoever booked that needs the sack
Do they get the shaft too 😂