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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Drag Queen Story Time at the British Library

356 replies

TundraDweller · 04/02/2020 10:17

Three Drag Queen Story Times in one day -

www.bl.uk/events/family-day-young-rebels

OP posts:
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Lordfrontpaw · 10/02/2020 12:45

I did point out that the book used is a stonewall winner and that they needed looking into themselves for various reasons.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 10/02/2020 13:13

'On the one hand they want all of these groups to feel comfortable, but on the other, the seemingly have little respect for their values.'

That's because they don't genuinely want all groups to be comfortable, they just say they do. It's discrimination by the back door.

Newuser123123 · 10/02/2020 16:56

I had the same response 🙄

MenopauseIsMySuperPower · 10/02/2020 18:47

I've had similar responses.

When I was little and used 'but everyone else is' to my parents they'd ask if I'd jump off a cliff if everyone else was Hmm

Binterested · 10/02/2020 18:50

DARVO in action there. You are offensive for finding DQST offensive Hmm

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/02/2020 23:13

It's the "your reference to grooming is both baseless and offensive" bit in the response that I find interest. Anyone who's ever worked in a communications role, or just interacted with businesses and institutions, will note that this is very much not the way a business or a public institution would normally communicate with the public, especially in response to a complaint or concern raised. It's unprofessional. It doesn't sound like an official communication at all, it sounds like an offended individual who is not in a role in which they're answerable to the public. The person who wrote that is in that kind of role, though. But is not behaving as if they were. And that "how dare you I am outraged and personally offended" tone is consistent when it comes to responses to concerns or complaints that in any way relate to trans or "queer" issues or events from institutions trying to be woke.

Who are they hiring for those jobs, and why are the people hired not expected to adhere to typical corporate communications guidelines? Do their management know that they're addressing the public that way? What would happen if those responded to in that way went to the papers with those responses?

I'm at the point where I'm ready to go full Machiavelli and suggest that every time anyone receives a blatantly unprofessional, emotionally laden response like that from an institution they take it straight to the tabloids as well as the broadsheets (of which only The Times and The Telegraph would agree to cover it anyway).

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 08:23

I completely agree Kitten, the 'outraged' tone is unprofessional and i can only assume that some companies hire 22 year olds to interact with the public and this is a 22 year old's knee jerk reaction.

And the irony is, my comment isn't baseless in the slightest. There's lots of evidence to prove otherwise.

I did think about responding again, but I haven't got the energy now; it would be flogging a dead horse.

Although, on the plus side, I have been in touch with my local council and read their upcoming library events schedule and I'm pleased to report that they are Kool Aid free. 👍
I was prepared to go nuclear.

Langbannedforsafeguardingkids · 11/02/2020 08:25

Agreed Kittens

Also, replying 'I'm offended' to a safeguarding concern is a red flag in itself. It's not appropriate to respond to parents raising safeguarding concerns with 'what you've said is offensive' - that's designed to prevent people from speaking up about safeguarding. Red flag.

Langbannedforsafeguardingkids · 11/02/2020 08:27

When people try and shut me up about safeguarding kids - I get suspicious and also it's likely to have the opposite effect.

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 08:27

Let me guess Paw...radio silence from the BL?? 🤨

Lordfrontpaw · 11/02/2020 08:30

Same old and old really. Cut and paste response and not answering questions.

They have a thing coming up ‘unfinished business’ to do with women’s rights. I did ask if it was ‘women’ or women And if they would address the gender V sex ‘war’.

I don’t think they are planning any Drag Time Bingo though...

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 08:31

Exactly Lang - how can genuine enquiries regarding safeguarding of children be offensive??

Surely there's nothing more important than the welfare of children? If Lang taught me anything, it's that.

BritneyPeedOnALadybug · 11/02/2020 08:38

I would expect to get the sack or, at the very least, a stern talking to and a warning, if I responded to a customer in that tone, calling their opinion “baseless and offensive”. I think that email response needs to be forwarded on to someone higher up in the library, to any directors or patrons, perhaps? They’re probably not even aware of what’s being sent out.

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 08:39

Something else puzzled me about her letter. This point she made:

Drag Queen Story Time’s performances are specifically designed to be suitable for younger audiences, with language and costume appropriate to the age group.

So what is the point of it being 'drag', then? That's just a fella wearing a dress and makeup, isn't it?

I always thought drag was a caricature of a woman dialled up to 11, with costume and language to match?
If that's missing from the performance, what's 'drag' about it??

Maybe I'm driving myself mad...

Xanthangum · 11/02/2020 08:43

I'm second-guessing, ameanstreak, but they could be thinking of something like a pantomime dame performance where the aim is to be very child friendly, with a few blue jokes floating over the kids heads to entertain the parents/adults.

Mockersisrightasusual · 11/02/2020 08:46

"All of DQSt's performers have been DBS-checked to the appropriate level."

Well WTF does that mean?

Ordinary check or enhanced check? Or no check at all like visiting authors who are supervised?

Why not just say which level of check?

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 08:51

Yeah, I think you're right, actually, gum.

I'm driving myself mad here...

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 11/02/2020 08:52

Agreed, I'd kick it up the chain of command to see what happens. Social media jobs at least are generally held by rather young people, maybe that applies here too? What would interest me would be to see if even at the very top it's considered appropriate to interact with concerned members of the public that way, but only in regards to this issue.

Also agree that drag made suitable for small children isn't really drag at all. If you do that what you end up with is the Widow Twanky, which is definitely not what seems to be going on in the photo with the child leading a performer around on a leash.

Lordfrontpaw · 11/02/2020 08:57

I did ask them to explain the whole ‘being who you are’ theme - the male person in drag - who are they?

AbsintheFriends · 11/02/2020 10:19

Accusing someone who has raised concerns about safeguarding of being 'offensive' really does need referring to a higher authority. It's the Rotherham dynamic all over again.

(Obvs I'm NOT saying that the outcome would be the same, just that authorities can't use diversity outrage or Lang's sacred castes to derail appropriate scrutiny.)

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 10:35

Indeed, Friends...it's just like those same, boring old lessons that promise to be learned.

Which never seem to materialise.

Lordfrontpaw · 11/02/2020 10:38

Well the BL do have a safeguarding policy for staff if you care to do an online search for it (it's a PDF)

Ameanstreakamilewide · 11/02/2020 10:43

And who needs to concern themselves with that, when woke cookies taste so good? Hmm

'Can you killjoys keep the noise down, please, can't you see we're being progressive over here??'

That's the subtext i get from that email.

Lordfrontpaw · 11/02/2020 10:49

British Library personnel are subject to pre-employment disclosure screening and reference checks.

This applies to permanent staff, contractors, interns, agency staff and volunteers who may come into unsupervised contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

OK so we can see that under this, technically any performer could argue against a check perhaps? Plus the whole prickly issue of 'dead names' and legal name changing.

NotAGirl · 14/02/2020 08:58

Their policies are all here www.bl.uk/about-us/freedom-of-information/5-our-policies-and-procedures

Code of conduct covers anyone doing any work. Noticed that code of conduct excludes them getting involved in anything publicly controversial ...

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