9-year-old 'drag queen' - am I wrong or is this incredibly disturbing?

[Foxpyjamas]

Hi, long-time lurker, first-time poster.

Someone posted this link on my FB this morning with a comment that made it clear he thought this was cool.

I just thought it was extremely disturbing and a clear example of a child being inappropriately sexualised. The way the article is written this point of view is presented as moralistic prudish pearl-clutching, like whatever an Alt-Right or Christian says must be completely unreasonable.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Alt-Right are wrong about almost everything but in this case I don't care who says it, those pictures are awful. Not because the boy is wearing a sparkly costume (complaining about that would indeed be ridiculous but as far as I can see that wasn't even what anyone was saying) but because of the poses, the makeup, the fact that this is a CHILD.

I feel like most progressive types would agree these days that children should be able to wear what they like free from gender stereotypes, but a child drag queen? Isn't that a completely different kettle of fish? I have always had some qualms about drag anyway (it strikes me as mocking women) but for adults it's one thing - I don't know much about it but aren't drag shows genuinely pretty sexual, like definitely in the realms of adult entertainment? But the article and my friend are muddying the issue trying to make it about the fact that there's no problem with a kid wearing a sparkly suit.

Am I crazy here?

Link to etsy store here first pic is of a man with his hand down his glittery boxers.

This politics around this is so male, somehow. The left wing / right wing arguments, around all of it, sex, sexuality, gender, porn, prostitution, things like this with children. It's all either "liberal anything goes" or "strict gender roles for me thanks and children should be like this and this and gay is bad" type thing.

I am quite comfy rejecting both of those positions and saying, these pictures and this association with the company is OFF.

I feel the same about child beauty pageants too. But the reality is social services won't intervene if you present your 9 year old daughter this way.

No I'm sure the Alt Right doesn't have a problem with beauty pageants for little girls. My point was more that feminists usually DO have a problem with them. I think they are dreadful.

But then you have people setting themselves up as the opposition to Alt Right, so claiming the 'progressive' side of the argument if you like, saying that this is great because the boy isn't conforming to gender norms. My position is that, boy or girl, this is equally disturbing.

My FB friend would 100% describe himself as a feminist and is quite gender non-conforming himself. I'm absolutely sure he would condemn beauty pageants for little girls. But he doesn't seem able to see the equivalence. He just sees a boy who is not dressed 'typically' for his sex and thinks that's cool, which it would be if the whole thing was age appropriate. I just think this disconnect is strange and the whole Alt Right thing is a complete red herring. Even a stopped watch is right twice a day.

I get the impression that the thought process of some progressives is that "what does the Alt-Right think about this?" is a preliminary to asking themselves "what do I think about this?"

Yanbu, that child has been sexualised. Theres nothing liberating about sexual stereotypes or the male gaze, for either sex. Its the opposite of liberation.

The company must know about that child being on social media as 'Lactacia' and it was inappropriate for them to use him as a model for childrens clothes.

I dont base my politics or feelings on what the Alt Right think. I'm an old school Socialist.

It doesn't even need thinking about.

There is never any reason for a 9yr old anyone to be associated with BDSM.
Never.

Is the stage name a reference to lactation?

Presumably

can't think what else it is a ref to

It's very obviously completely inappropriate, people going to drag events expect adult content, a child shouldn't be there.

It's like a 9-year-old girl appearing in a strip show.

It’s possible to object to little girls being sexualised in beauty pageants, and also object to little boys being sexualised in drag shows.

Not just possible, SlowlyShrinking but consistent.

google tells me that the response from LGBT press is that this is awesome.

They also seem to interpret people saying that this is all very dodgy as attacking the child. Why does that always happen? NO people are angry with the ADULTS around him. I don't get why that is redirected by saying people are attacking the child

Yes, quite, squishsquirmy

That, the weird consent issues, and the twisted arguments make this all smell a little bit like PIE to me.

It makes me feel uncomfortable in the same way that small girls heavily made up in child beauty pagents do.

This^

There was a photo on twitter a while ago of a 7 or 8 year old little boy having his photo taken with a drag queen who was dressed in a body stocking with a silver leaf over his genital area, and wearing a unicorn’s horn. I do wonder what type of parents think it’s ok tbh

The child was also in drag

The video on the link with the little boy on stage with the older drag queen is so disturbingly inappropriate

What makes him a Drag Queen though?

How come he's not just a boy wearing a onesie and some make up?

PIE?

pie is paedophile information exchange, the paedophile group popular with senior Labour figures (Harriet Harman & co) in the late-70s

I find it extremely disturbing, especially the sexualised name which has obviously been chosen by an adult. The fact that the photos are for a BDSM site is borderline child abuse.

I recently saw 12yo boys playing dames in a pantomime and found that equally disturbing. Let kids be kids and they can do whatever they want when they're grown up.

How come he's not just a boy wearing a onesie and some make up?

Erm. Have you looked at the other pictures of him? Watched the video of him going around asking adult (mainly women) if they are lactaters?

Age inappropriate!! It's a basic principle of safeguarding that children are not exposed to age inappropriate images or behaviours.
A child being introduced to BDSM at the age of 9 is a safeguarding issue.

Watched the video of him going around asking adult (mainly women) if they are lactaters?

Wtf?? How on earth are so many people supporting this shit??

It beggars belief.

Just say it out loud.
Nine year old child advertising Bondage, Domination, Sadism, Masochism wear.

Funny old world we are living in when any sector or group celebrates that.