Children being read stories by Drag Queens on World Book Day

[AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth]

One of whom refers to himself as "Bristol’s Resident Slag".

WTF now?

www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/parents-anger-over-drag-queens-1254111

Obviously this is one of the glorious representations of women that this particular headteacher wishes his 4 -11 year olds to appreciate.
Presumably he also has a group of drag kings performing - just to ensure that 4 year olds don't get the impression that being a woman merely consist of putting on a dress, high heels and lots of make up...
oh wait.......

And the parents who object no doubt told to lump it. I would imagine a lot of the children would find men dressed as women very intimidating and upsetting. I know I did at that age. There really is no need.

OK had a super quick glance and I could be wrong but I kind of like the sound of these guys. They don't appear to be pushing a trans agenda at all and I can see that the drag is an interesting way to pique kids' interest. Not an unfamiliar phenomenon either as just like Xmas pantomime.... I always liked the RuPaul quote of everyone being born naked and all the rest being drag.

Not sure about the slag thing though. I think that's a word men shouldn't be associating with women even if they are dressed up as one.

Yes. These men are dressed as women. That is what women are like. They wear big frou frou dresses and inches of eye make up.

And why? Why? What's it got to do with world frigging book day?

I dont see the problem? My DS8 is going as the boy in the dress (from David walliams book), he would love it if professional drag queens came in. Neither are pretending they are biological women.
I presume he wont introduce himself as 'slag' to the children and thats only for adult shows.

Where did the "slag" comment come from? A library event?

Did this school invite Linda for black history month?

Invite in guide dogs for a talk in the summer?

Get in the Christians and Jews in December?

It's all context really for me. If they are all about LGBT it's not really diversity.

Drag Queens are adult entertainers. They are not meant to be in school ffs. Why is everything about normalising sex and adult concerns for children?

Children are normally given a sex education talk in year six. I can't see why LGB isn't spoken about as part of that, then left alone.

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth

Have you every taken your children to a pantomine? Drag queens can put on adult shows that wouldnt be appropraite for children but in this case they are simply reading children books.
What do you think will happen to you children?

Up
If they want to come in a Widow Twankie then that is fine. But sexualised images of men as women, no thanks.

Can anyone explain how drag queens represent LGBT? My understanding was that drag queens are often heterosexual men who in no way have any kind of gender dysphoria. They are men putting on a hypersexualised stereotyped "woman face". What's that got to do with lesbians, gay men, bisexuals or transgender people?

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth

But they will be? They are going to be dressed up from characters from chidlrens books.

AssassinatedBeauty

They don't they often support LGTB issues but drag is completely outside of LGTB.
Its an art, a preformance. You dont have to be LGBT to take part at all.

The same headmaster has championed gender neutral uniforms and the culture of tolerance it has fostered, even though no boys have chosen to wear skirts which was never the objective.

Never too young to learn some tolerance to minority groups as long its kept age appropriate. If some would prefer an unauthorised absence on their childs record thats their choice.

So not drag queens then, is that what you are saying?

Has the article got it totally wrong and Big Busty Bertha will be coming in dressed as sweet Dick Whittington?

It's a sexulaised art and performance. Which is fine. But not in schools

There comming in for world book day, they are going to be dressed up a book characters, much like a pantomine where those characters are also dressed up in 'drag'.

Ok, so the article is wrong then?

They will be coming in a Little Bo Peep and Red Riding Hood and not as saucy Red Riding and Big Blow Peep?

If it's wrong, great.

I dont think you quite understand the concept of dressing up in 'drag' or being a 'drag queen'. Of course it can be a sexualised and adult preformance but the drag queens have been hired for world book day to read books to children not to preform a strip tease and and make sex jokes.
Just like a dancer could put on an adult or sexual preformance they could also come into schools to give a child dance class without it being sexual or adult.
In a pantomine the male characters playing female roles are dressed up in 'drag' and its not sexualised or adult.
My son will essentially be dressed up in 'drag' for world book day and it will not sexualised or adult.

Drag queens are adult performers who dress up in hypersexualised stereotyped versions of "woman face". Dressing up as a female character is not drag. So you're saying that these performers are not going to be doing a drag queen show? So why are they being referred to as a drag queen story team?

Frankly I took my kids to a pantomime at Alton Towers last Christmas, and will not do it again - the 'comedy' from the Dame was indeed inappropriate and sexist, there's no way I want my kids thinking it acceptable.

Drag queens - well, as long as they're on good behaviour I don't actually mind I think - just like I don't mind when the dressup box comes out and all the kids put on fairy costumes. Drag queens are totally up front about being men dressed up as fantastic creations.

I understand perfectly what drag is. But you have not answered my question. Has the article got it wrong. Sexualised drag - no thanks. Little Bo Peep = fine. Which is it?

It's not bloody difficult and stop trying to gaslight people into thinking that drags queens are suitable performances in schools.

The answer is no to drag in schools. And I don't give a fuck if you think I'm being prudish. Do the drag stuff in your own time and with your own children

My grandmother used to,adore Danny La Rue. I, oddly, grew up unscathed by watching him perform. Is it really a big deal?

Drag queens are usually extreme representations of women, as someone said upthread - a pantomime dame approach. Personally I don't like them - but would never suggest banning them.
But are they appropriate to come in and read to children as a group? Men dressed up as grotesque parodies of women?
There must be thousands of different 'trades' - people who could be invited in to read to children - window cleaners, taxi drivers, cooks, nurses, police officers, musicians, SAHMs, senior citizens, gymnasts etc etc.
But none of these groups are 'edgy'. They may be completely appropriate and represent only good things in society, but they don't "turn on" this headteacher in the same way that drag queens do. So they won't get a look in.