Drag Queen at a Primary School - continuation thread here - https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4490413-Drag-Queen-at-a-Primary-School-Thread-2?watched=1

[Lennyllama]

What are your views on a drag queen visiting a primary school for the day? Think thigh high leather boots with short revealing dresses and a dance show. The drag queen spent the day at school. Did a show for KS2 and then went around to individual classes to read a story book. The school had a themed dress up day. The theme was This is Me. Parents were not informed that this would be happening and were not given the option to opt in or out of the experience. The school has a very diverse mix of cultures and religions. This particular queen is easily found online, the kids were told their stage name and their content is rather steamy.

YANBU- It’s inappropriate
YABU- It’s appropriate

I have name changed for this.

I'd be furious but not surprised unfortunately. I 'd be particularly angry that the parents hadn't been informed because that would have enabled them to keep the children off. The school clearly thought that may happen, hence the no warning

Why are schools forcing this shite down the throats of young people!

What's with the promotion of men being women/dressing as women/ saying they are women! It appears to be the current trend.

Its adult entertainment. I don't understand why this has become a thing adults think is appropriate for children, given how blatantly sexualised it is.

Also, in telling stories the focus should be on the story, not on the teller.
This makes is about the teller.

Fuck. That. Shit. And hear me out, I have no issue with drag queens really. There's a time and a stage for them. School's not that time, not that stage.

Let's bring an oversized, sexualised, scary-looking caricature of a woman to see our kids and read the fucking Gruffalo to them! I mean, it's like Gulliver in the Land of Lilliput on Studio 54-grade cocaine, is it not? How fecking scared would you be... 7 years old and THAT giant thing in pancake make-up and bad lingerie shows up to read you a book while giving you lessons on twerking.
What happened to the salad days when Aunt Polly off Mr. Tumble was as weird as it got, eh?

Men doing horrible sexual parodies of women. What's to like? So inappropriate for small kids. Got a real grooming vibe, imo.

But it's all about the rainbow now, innit.

Gonnagetgoing

DomesticatedZombie found it and put it on the thread at 12:07

@VestaTilley

This is absolutely appalling. Drag is deeply misogynistic, sexualised and a nasty caricature of women.

I’d want an apology from the Head, I’d want it raised at a meeting of the governors and I’d report to Ofsted/DfE.

Where is this school? Give your child a talking to about drag not being seen as ok by all people. It certainly isn’t with me.

This.

However, women don't matter unless they are men parading around as women then they are super important.

I'm a parent governor and I would be very, very displeased if something like this went on in our school...I am very much in favour of supporting and promoting diversity (I'm not exactly mainstream myself), but...

The person to complain to is the Chair of the Board of Governors, and if you don't get satisfaction from that then the Local Education Authority is the next port of call.

@nanbread

No issue with drag queens (although it does feel like an incredibly lazy/unoriginal way to discuss individuality) but I would have an issue with sexual content / clothing for that age.

This. Clearly most people don’t have an issue with it or pantomimes wouldn’t get sold out.

@GrendelsGrandma

Meh, I took DC to a drag queen story in a library when she was a tot. It was a guy in flamboyant make up and a funny dress, I think the kids weren't that bothered either way. It's just a spectacle like having a Chinese New Year Dragon or something.

I couldn't get that worked up about it, but I wouldn't want it to have sleazy content.

@GrendelsGrandma - for you and the other PPs who're saying they take their kids to this at library storytimes etc - that's you being able to to give consent to taking them to these events outside school.

At primary school with no prior information or option to opt out this is very inappropriate, not centred to the child and can be scary and confusing.

If you wish to take your children to Pride or watch Drag Race then fine, that's your choice as a parent to make.

I was a bit going to see a drag queen in a show when I was 21 or so but at least I was an adult and could make my mind up whether to go or if I wished to leave if I felt uncomfortable.

If anyone is in any doubt that drag is misogyny, ask yourself where are the women routinely dressing up as grotesque caricatures of men in our culture?

I'll wait.

@user375432

I'd be furious. I absolutely hate the Drag Queen Storytime thing and when I shared my concerns to friends once, I was ripped apart. I think drag queens are misogynistic as they make feminine mannerisms entertainment/a joke. This can be acceptable entertainment for adults who can think critically but for children it is sinister and sexist. I hated the drag character in pantomimes as a young girl for the same reason, it felt like they were mocking women, and they are! Now I'd have zero qualms about a man wearing a sensible dress or feminine clothes coming in to read a book about wearing whatever you want. But I do have an issue with drag queens who are not simply cross dressers but caricatures of women in inappropriate clothes.

I agree with all of this.

No issues whatsoever with a man wearing clothes that aren't conventionally 'male' - clothes (also toys/jobs etc) don't have a gender so no problem at all with that.

A hideous caricature of womanhood/traits perceived as 'female', absolutely fuck off.

For those who say its similar to DQs role in pantomimes - I think most kids and parents know that it's a show, the person if performing a part, it's funny but it's not forced on them in a school setting.

I actually like the idea of DQ story time if you as the parent and the child are happy with it.

This was the outfit the DQ wore to dance and read books to the younger children.

It’s so ironic that suddenly (the overwhelming majority white) men dressed in drag are suddenly THE symbol of diversity and acceptance.

I'd be tempted to remove my child from a school where those in charge are dangerous gormless twats.

Why are schools forcing this shite down the throats of young people!

God knows. But it's one hell of an agenda being pushed, isn't it?
Normalising dangerous shit and then those who oppose it are seen as unreasonable and intolerant. We still have a right just about to say no to being parodied and no to our children being overtly sexualised under the guise of 'story time'.

Go onto the feminism board... there was a short documentary posted on this very topic a couple of days ago. It's hard to rattle my cage. I've partied with many a drag queen in my 20s. But there are lines you don't cross. There is no way I would bring that world into my child's world.

No YANBU. Completely inappropriate.
I don't understand the point either - being a drag queen is just a job, isn't it, not an identity? And you can get another job whenever, and some do have regular day jobs.
Surely for "this is me" a female pensioner who mountain climbs, firefighter with a disability, that young skateboarder at the Olympics or something would be better? Someone who either did something unexpected and challenging or who had overcome adversity?

@Lennyllama

This was the outfit the DQ wore to dance and read books to the younger children.

Rather inappropriate. If I had worn this to a school as a teacher or a student in uniform free school then I would be sent home to get changed into something appropriate and rightly so.

I expect plenty of mothers will feel the same way as you OP, but will not feel able to raise their concerns with the school for fear of being labelled.

Shut up women, the feelings of man parading as a grotesque parody of you are more important.

There's no need surely for anyone other than the teacher to come into school to read a class story, unless it's the author of the book being read?

It's a lazy, trendy way to tick a so-called diversity and inclusion box while actually further ingraining the kind of everyday misogyny and tired sex role stereotypes that contributes to children becoming confused about their gender if they don't fit neatly into Box A or Box B. It's also, deliberately or inadvertently, part of a movement that is actively trampling over safeguarding and children's - and parents' - boundaries.

Fucking hate drag and it has no place in schools.

To be honest I'd question those in charge and consider moving schools if I felt it was in my child's best interests.

Lennyllama Oh Jesus H. That photo!

The wheels have come off, well and truly, haven't they?