Drag Workshop at Kent Guide and Scout Jamboree

[feministscout]

I am a scout leader and I am a feminist (a reasonably grumpy vocal menopausal one so that might be while I feel like this). Kent Scout Jamboree clearly ran a fantastic event for 7000 young people last week but I was really shocked to see that they had booked the "Kent Drag Queens" and were running Drag Workshops and Drag Bingo (this is 14-17 year olds). I'll be honest I don't like drag, I find it extremely degrading to women, but each to their own when you are an adult. What I was concerned about what the pictures that were posted on Facebook of the event showing young male scouts in drag in sexualised poses. I wont post them here as they are minors. Scouting is meant to be inclusive. This was a multi cultural event with 50% of those attending being young women. I don't think drag is empowering young women. I think it reduces the female form to an object of mimicry. Looking at these young lads dressed up it clearly fuelled sexualisation and distortion of gender roles. they were clutching their bras and chests etc. I also think it encourages misogynistic behaviour, reinforcing negative and reductive views of women and their bodies. I wrote as soon as I saw these images to the organisers of the Jamboree expressing my views and got what is clearly a stock response that they had lined up saying it was basically an inclusive event similar to pantomime, exposing people to a diverse population and if members didn't like it they could go and do something else. Utterly missing the point this isn't just an LGBT issue but a feminist one too. Am I being unreasonable and a fun sponge here or is this something that should be questioned going forward?

Repugnant. YANBU.

YANBU. I can't stand drag - it gives me the heebie jeebies and I agree it's misogynist.

….are you protesting outside your local pantomime, in case there is a Dame in there ?

I’m sure it’s not a compulsory workshop

Please write to the safeguarding folks at the scouts HQ. While scouting is supposed to be inclusive, it sounds as though this lacked respectfulness. If they really wanted to put on an experience of being in drag or cross-dressing, what would have been wrong with a theatrical company looking at pantomime dames, men playing female roles etc in Shakespeare back in the day?

It may be that drag makes sense in the context of adult entertainment for gay men that explores the intersections between sexual desire and femininity/masculinity. That might be over-egging it, imo, but I can see why it might be a thing in that setting.

For kids? At scouts? Totally inappropriate. I'd be withdrawing my kids. It's a sexualized form of entertainment, associated with nightclubs and drug culture. Big fat no.

YANBU, I've just had a look on their FB page and there are so many young lads dressed in drag with bras and huge fake boobs etc, blowing kisses to the camera and just generally taking the piss out of women.

Oh no
that is awful
I hate drag - so SO ugly appropriation of women

There’s nothing grumpy or menopausal about hating the objectification of women and not wanting kids to be groomed

Guides / scouts HQ’s so far up the arse of stonewall, they have lost reason

the leaders are usually amazing

. Tip off press to pick this up.
give it the ridicule it requires

I’d tell my children to be more afraid of a Scout’s leader than a drag queen to be honest.
Drag artists, and yes they are artists, are wonderfully creative and talented individuals.
Did you not got to a Pantomine and laugh at the fame when you were a child?

Given some of the negative publicity the scout movement has had in the past , you’d think they would stay away from this with a barge pole!

My understanding from gay friends is that there is a fundamental difference in Panto dames (the joke is about them) and Drag - they are making the joke about others. I care not what the sexuality of the drag queen is what I dont like is the way young men were portraying women.

Screen shot before they take it down. If my child was involved with this I’d be fuming.

Totally inappropriate, yanbu. Photographing under 18s in sexual poses is obviously not something that should happen. I would also question how female scouts felt - presumably at least some of them felt uncomfortable.

Missing the point completely. Can’t remember the last time a Pantomime Dame was called Anna Bortion, Jizzny Princess or Zsa Zsa Gabortion.

Pantomime Dames are motherly rather than overtly sexualised. Dames are not trying to convince others they are female - it is clear they are men dressed up. Pantomime has well established boundaries that drag doesn’t. Drag is a highly sexualised parody of womanhood and deeply misogynistic, as evidenced by the crude names. The same is not seen with Pantomime Dames.

Unless Kent Scouting has changed a great deal in the last few years they won’t give a toss if this gets in the press .

This this this. Drag is disgustingly misogynistic and sexualised. Why anyone would want their child involved in that is beyond me.

Hoping they book these fabulous Queens for next year so those poor Scouts can have a real party.

I agree, OP. If you’re an adult, no issue, but for teens, it’s all a bit unpalatable. And misogynistic.

This

Contact their safeguarding leads or HQ; sexual and misogynistic entertainment is not appropriate for scouts.

mot sure the chief scout will see this as beneficial for the movement either.

Chief scout; perhaps drop him a line too

https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-people/chief-scout/

I think what is wrong with it is that at least a portion of those boys will have had no previous inclination to dress up in drag costume. Totally out of order, safeguarding issue.

I did go to the panto, it was the famous drag queen Danny La Rue stsrting. Made my skin crawl as a small child. Hated it ever since.