Drag Queen Storytime at my local library (photo attached)

[Carla786]

I had a lovely trip to my local library yesterday. Spent a long time there choosing books, basically the whole time there was a very noisy toddler event going on in the next room. I didn't mind, they host a lot of stuff for various people & that's good.

As I left, I looked at the posters of various things they were advertising. I saw one for 'Mama G', clearly a drag queen, which I photographed for identification purposes. I thought this nonsense of drag story hours might be quietening down, but clearly not at my library. I'd never seen them advertise anything like that before 🤦‍♀️

Checking the photo when I got home, I saw the event had taken place that day, while I was choosing my books. I wasn't listening particularly hard, but from what I heard it sounded more like a 'panto dame' style event than anything sexualised. It still seems odd and inadvisable though. If a drag Queen wants to do panto style entertainment for kids too, he should have a separate line in that, rather than mixing it up. 'Drag queen shows ' are by nature sexual and adult, so 'drag queen' shows blur boundaries whatever the content/intention.

It will be! Sorry, I had to do something :

Too many pearl clutches on here.

Are you usually this easily offended?

I agree the drag queens in these storytimes often don't behave in a sexual way. There have been some cases where this happened, though...

Jfc get a life, what is so offensive.

That photo isn't remotely sexual.

I really can't see the issue if it gets kids involved and excited about books.

I think we need to protect the children from the mumsnetters who want to stop children having any fun!
Surely playing dress up, being different characters and being imaginative is part of childhood that we should be able to celebrate, not stamp out!

What I want to know is, why these drag queens never seem to do story time at OAP care homes or sheltered accommodation etc etc , you know places where the residents might find it hard to get out and about and might appreciate a bit of entertainment - happy to be corrected if any of them do

If I take my son to the library, will he start identifying as a book? Won’t somebody think of the children!

I dont think the trans community have dome themselves any favors by insisting on doing storytime for young kids at libraries around the country. I don't think they are pedos but some people may add 2 +2 and get 5.

Besides I heard someone say, you never see them going doing entertainment at old folks homes do you....

Cross posted with @SquatBetty

This may be a surprise to you, but most adults can read. Older adults don't typically appreciate being treated as though they are toddlers.

Grown adults typically don't want to be read to like small children, that's why.

I agree re increasing footfall, it would be awful if it closed....

Boring!!!!!!!

Something you didn't even notice was happening has offended you.

There is literally no issue here.

Mr tumble dresses up all the time as men and women, it isn’t sexual at all. From the picture the drag act looks perfectly child friendly. It’s not like they were taking their kids to see magic mike.

Glad the library had a packed event and people were using the space tbh

This was last spring: https://www.hc-one.co.uk/our-news/news-and-events/drag-performance-brings-joy-to-caerphilly-care

I work - in an adjacent capacity - with care homes and it definitely happens here in Wales. What's brilliant is that often the drag artists dress up to fit a particular era and perform songs from that era - it's really lovely.

Edited to add: it's not story time, because adults can usually read for themselves (and prefer to), but it is a musical performance from drag artist.

Oh jeez, it must be so great to be a cool parent who doesn’t see further than the end of your nose about the semiotics and inherent unwholesomeness of this. The library could get some really cool older or retired people who’ve had interesting lives and stories to tell. Have a bit of intergenerational socialisation. But no. Always big blokes larping and mocking women. Super. 🙄

My youngest is now 24 and was particularly upset by anything “drag” which he saw in real life or TV. He managed without it and now is a well rounded individual with both straight and gay friends. An absolute waste of money when libraries are closing and hours reduced.

The event took place in a separate room and you didn't even see the performer?

Are you naive or you just don't care?

https://www.alphahealthcaregroup.co.uk/news/drag-queen-visits-care-home-to-celebrate-alpha-pride/

It seems they do.

I agree, cleaningthebog. I strongly suspect this is about the gradual normalisation of cross-dressing/male fetishism with the aim of kids growing up to find this is nothing to care about. I don’t like it.

My mother has some lovely Jackanory books, I wish they still had it on..

I guess the difference is that some drag queens have brought the adult persona of their other work to their storytime sessions.

It doesn't appear Mama G did this, though.

They should call them panto dames/panto story hour really.

Drag queen blurs the lines because often it's associated with adult events and is sexual though it isn't always. And you would like to assume a child's events would be non sexualised but recent events show you can't assume. My child's older now but if they were younger I might take them too see an event advertised as panto dames but would swerve a drag queen story hour for that reason.

Also, it's a very old English/British cultural tradition whereas drag queen story hour is an American import.

Its not that panto dames/drag queens fault. And I wouldn't protest it or anything. But it irks me.