Drag Show at school

[Iliveonahill]

My child’s secondary school, as part of Pride week, has an age appropriate drag show tomorrow afternoon.

Im really not comfortable with this. The drag shows I have seen over the years have mocked women and are really just a “woman face” show. Why is it appropriate in terms of inclusiveness and diversity to mock 51% of the population and in a school?

What is a 'basic bitch'? If it has nothing to do with women?

My son would probably like to try drugs, smoke, go to stripe clubs etc. I would still talk to him about it so that he understands we all have different opinions. I don’t force my views on him. It’s called being a parent.

I didn’t stop him going to the show. It was at school - I couldn’t stop him. But as a parent, adult, woman, I can still tell him I don’t agree with it.

What happened @Iliveonahill? Did it go ahead?

Good grief of course many kids are fine with it, whatever adults say is normal is their normal.

I didn’t get a response from the school and it did go ahead. My son chose not to go.

Putting drag as equivalent to blackface is seriously misguided.

At best, it’s rooted in lack of awareness of the historical context of blackface.

At worst, it’s an intentional diminishing of the very real centuries of harm done to black people through the narratives and imagery of blackface.

I hope your son has someone in his life to offer different perspectives and balance. He may find himself causing hurt and harm if he repeats that comparison.

Have women not been sufficiently oppressed, exploited, abused, mocked and negatively stereotyped to be able to choose the words to describe how offensive they find drag?

Have Black people not been sufficiently oppressed, exploited, abused, mocked and negatively stereotyped to be listened to when they set a boundary on how their centuries of oppression and degradation are co-opted?

Go read the Black Mumsnetters board with an open mind, and actually listen to what black women right here on mumsnet feel about this mis-use of blackface comparison.

More than one minority group can be treated badly, it’s not either/or
Blackface and woman face are equally offensive

I completely agree.

Who are men dressing up as in drag though? Women.
What s the source of comedy?
Women. Being female. Gender stereotypes which frankly to anyone of any intelligence are just boring at this point.