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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Leeds Library hosts Drag Queen Story Hour on June 22nd

150 replies

DeployTheTut · 21/06/2020 12:03

I could weep, I really could.
Leeds City Council is planning a Drag Queen Story Hour with “Aida H Dee”, to take place tomorrow, 22nd June.
www.facebook.com/349596960793/posts/10157474162555794/?d=n

Local hero, Councillor Sarah Field, is requesting any comments or complaints you may have, to assist her in objecting to this event. Email: [email protected]

OP posts:
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Xanthangum · 22/06/2020 09:17

Uk Pride Network is encouraging people to report Cllr Field to Leeds City Council.

On what grounds?

I went to look.

Two tweets - firstly: UK Pride Network
We are digusted that the mumsnet terfs who have such a little voice are able to influence Leeds Council and urge them to cancel a drag time story hour. @LeedsPride. In response we’ll happily host a Drag Time story hour and show them just how small their hateful rhetoric is!

And 2:
Field used their position to sway a decision to hold this event please email: [email protected]
Another case of a government employee demonstrating their personal views and not that of their constituents

Rather than a reasoned justification - for example, we are providing diverse influences for young people; the content has been approved by the local authority; the drag queens in question have no 'adult' work on the side but exclusively work in educational settings; their online and SM presence is entirely age appropriate; everything is risk assessed and CRB checked... noooooo, Mumsnet are meanies and Field isn't doing her job of representing people properly.

What is going on?

OldCrone · 22/06/2020 09:33

Has anyone tried to comment on their Facebook page? Last night there was a comment saying this was unsuitable for children, but it's now gone. They've posted this morning inviting comments from anyone who has an issue with this event, but there are no comments yet.

I assume they're deleting all comments objecting to it to make it look as though nobody is objecting.

DeployTheTut · 22/06/2020 09:47

We made him cry... well, that’s a persuasive political argument!

OP posts:
DeployTheTut · 22/06/2020 09:48

@DeployTheTut

We made him cry... well, that’s a persuasive political argument!
Didn’t include the image, sorry gyns!
Leeds Library hosts Drag Queen Story Hour on June 22nd
OP posts:
SerenityNowwwww · 22/06/2020 09:48

What does pride have to do with 2 year olds - do they not even think about that? Of course not.

SarahHars · 22/06/2020 09:49

The drag name is definitely in poor taste but I genuinely don't understand all of the hate. Children can learn tolerance and acceptance from being read to by a diverse range of people from within society. I would definitely take my children and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community✊❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🌈.

SerenityNowwwww · 22/06/2020 09:51

This reply has been deleted

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twoHopes · 22/06/2020 09:52

@SarahHars - as a genuine question - why do drag queens represent the LGBTQ+ community?

SerenityNowwwww · 22/06/2020 09:53

There is no lgbetc ‘community’- who exactly does that cover?

What does ‘standing in solidarity’ mean - just let people do what they want, regardless of whether it is suitable or not?

Get over the rainbow and tackle real life issues for gods sake.

Most of us have gay relatives and friends. Our kids grow up with them. No big bloody deal.

Whatsnewpussyhat · 22/06/2020 10:08

Ok, you take your kids to watch an adult male whose act is an over sexualized parody of 'woman'

twoHopes · 22/06/2020 10:12

I do think there is a major problem with homophobia amongst kids (especially teenagers). I'm incredibly frustrated when I hear adults say "young people are so accepting, we should learn from them!". Maybe in your little wealthy, middle class bubble - but not where I'm from.

There does need to be a concerted effort to tackle homophobia in schools. The message we need to send out to kids is that same-sex couples are completely normal and no different to anyone else. I genuinely fail to see how drag queens will achieve this. Tying homosexuality to drag queens risks confusing and stigmatising children.

The simple fact is that getting drag queens to read to children isn't for children at all. It's for adults who want to feel like their family is so progressive and accepting of the glitter rainbow.

I honestly don't think any of this will do serious harm to children (happy for others to disagree). I just find it frustrating because it's more of the same virtue signalling that makes people feel good but achieves nothing for gay and lesbians.

Supergoggles · 22/06/2020 10:14

SaraHars - I agree to a point, kids enjoy widow twanky/Justin fletcher etc, but apart from being funny/entertaining (and hopefully not scary?)

A) what does it teach them about LGBT people relationships? The layers of understanding of drag culture on the gay scene is lost on kids, so is it saying be tolerant of people who are dressed up and outrageous, don’t be clownphobic?

B) does this teach a positive or mocking image of trans women or women for that matter?

C) would it be appropriate for a female adult entertainer in sexualised clothing to read to children, if not why not?

D) Where is the educational merit in this?

C) Are all safeguarding conditions met? Do we teach children about boundaries about their own bodies, sitting on Santa’s knee etc is a thing of the past, but grabbing bits of drag queens is fine because they’re sparkly and, you know, rainbows.

D) children can use google, those working in children’s entertainment/education should have a squeaky clean public profile and not be sharing pictures of kids or rude memes. This comes down to online safeguarding and not inadvertently providing a grooming portal even if the performer themselves are crb checked and lovely.

Supergoggles · 22/06/2020 10:16

Agree completely that this is about the virtue signalling of adults. Kids would enjoy someone doing the hokey kokey dressed as a comedy cow just as much

littlbrowndog · 22/06/2020 10:23

That’s for sur3 supergoggles

The adults and the library. Look at us we are so diverse and wokey

OldCrone · 22/06/2020 10:34

Children can learn tolerance and acceptance from being read to by a diverse range of people from within society.

Are drag queens 'people from within society'? I thought they were entertainers playing a role, wearing a costume which fits that role. So they are no more a societal group than clowns, for example. Why don't we have clown story time for children? This would be far more appropriate, since clowns are children's entertainment and drag queens are for adults.

How do children learn acceptance of people who are LGB by being read to by a man dressed as a sexualised parody of a woman?

Whiskaplucka · 22/06/2020 11:04

Facts are that this drag queen had at least half a dozen different sexualised and "anti cis" comments on his public drag queen facebook page, and in his "about" section that he was the first dq to get into nurseries.

It was about this particular bloke, not drag queens per se, though there are plenty of other points about that.

He ain't a youth worker, he ain't a teacher, he ain't a literary persona, he ain't a RADA trained actor, just a chancer, who can't stop himself from confusing his kids' stuff with his adults' act.

++++My hypothesis is if you look in virtually any drag acts' social media where they put themselves out as family friendly or for libraries for story time or pride, there is highly sexualised content.

+++++ Please screenshot quickly and send to me DM, whatever area you are in, and link to the funded family friendly event they are in. Thanks very much

Whatsnewpussyhat · 22/06/2020 11:20

Next they will have the men in gimp suits and dog masks sitting in the library for the children to pet.

LemonadeAndDaisyChains · 22/06/2020 11:20

The drag name is definitely in poor taste but I genuinely don't understand all of the hate. Children can learn tolerance and acceptance from being read to by a diverse range of people from within society

Agree

LemonadeAndDaisyChains · 22/06/2020 11:23

Next they will have the men in gimp suits and dog masks sitting in the library for the children to pet

How the hell has that got anything to do with drag queens?!
That's some strange dramatic leaps of the imagination that you've got going on there

growinggreyer · 22/06/2020 11:26

I do wonder what a 'daisy chain' is. Let me look it up on urban dictionary... oh. Hmm, I see. Not such a lovely reference to sunny pastures and childhood delights as innocent posters might have assumed.

LemonadeAndDaisyChains · 22/06/2020 11:29

Not such a lovely reference to sunny pastures and childhood delights as innocent posters might have assumed

Jesus.
Seriously?! Grin
I have absolutely no idea what you're going on about but the conspiracy theorists on here are getting even more barking!
It was literally chosen because it reminded me of sunny picnic days (was when we were all in lockdown and couldn't go out.)
Gawd knows where your head's at Confused Biscuit

dolorsit · 22/06/2020 11:34

*Next they will have the men in gimp suits and dog masks sitting in the library for the children to pet

How the hell has that got anything to do with drag queens?!*

I take it you haven't seen the phone of said drag queen in "dog mode" earlier in this thread.

dolorsit · 22/06/2020 11:35

Edit photo not phone

OldCrone · 22/06/2020 11:36

@LemonadeAndDaisyChains

The drag name is definitely in poor taste but I genuinely don't understand all of the hate. Children can learn tolerance and acceptance from being read to by a diverse range of people from within society

Agree

In what way do drag queens represent a 'diverse range of people from within society'?
MondayYogurt · 22/06/2020 11:38

Diverse reading?

Drag is in the same category as burlesque, so where are the baby burlesque library sessions hmm? Oh that's right, burlesque is done by women so naturally they're not invited.

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