Drag Queen Story Time

[LizzyStrata]

First time posting here, so not sure of the etiquette. My apologies if this is the wrong place to raise these concerns.

Reading Borough Council is planning to hold Drag Queen Story Hour events in our libraries during the summer holidays. I’ve written to my MP, my councillors, and the Head of the Library Service to raise concerns. I think drag is entirely inappropriate for children, as it is a form of adult entertainment, highly sexualised and misogynistic, that blurs boundaries and undermines safeguarding.

The response Ive had is simply that they have received very few complaints so no reason to cancel.

Has anyone had any experience of tackling their local library over this issue? Grateful for any tips.

Also, if you live in Berkshire ,would you be willing to write and share your concerns?

thanks!

[KittenKong]

The thing about the DBS check - enhanced or otherwise - it just means you haven’t be caught doing anything. It doesn’t mean that you’ve had a minutes safeguarding or child protection training and I somehow doubt that this crowd are trained teachers…

[EmbarrassingHadrosaurus]

@Hagiography

they have received very few complaints so no reason to cancel.

What is the number of women that matters? At what point does anyone listen to women/mothers? How many complaints does it take?

Ah, when I think of the times it's taken a solitary tweet from an activist for a company to remove single-sex facilities, I reflect on the power asymmetry and wonder why it still disadvantages those who were previously known as belonging to the sex class of women.

[mrshoho]

I agree @KittenKong but it's also important to remember that a basic check will show all unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It will not highlight spent convictions or someone being on a Barred List like the Sex Offenders' Register.

[Hagiography]

You're kidding me? SRO inclusion wouldn't show on a DBS? WTF is even the point of them, then?

[KittenKong]

And let’s not forget… www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10725407/amp/Victims-blast-controversial-law-lets-sex-pests-escape-punishment-saying-SORRY.html

would this show up in a check? Of someone had changed identity, do they have to disclose their past identity?

[mrshoho]

You would need an Enhanced DBS check. This is what organisations where contact with children and vulnerable adults occurs would always request.

I wonder if the Libraries (and schools!) granting access have done their own risk assessments and are aware?

[VenetiaHallMasham]

@VestofAbsurdity

Perhaps you could also ask them if they have ever hosted a story time where a disabled or BAME person read the stories? Why the fuck do councils think DQSH is acceptable? What diversity/protected characteristic is this highlighting? It's just men misogynistically and offensively parodying women.

I raised exactly this point in my complain to Wokingham Borough Council. They just dismissed it, saying they are committed to diversity blah blah. Actions speak louder than words!

I am taking my complaint to Stage 2. This is unacceptable and my concerns have essentially been dismissed out of hand because the library service is totally captured.

[VenetiaHallMasham]

@KittenKong

The thing about the DBS check - enhanced or otherwise - it just means you haven’t be caught doing anything. It doesn’t mean that you’ve had a minutes safeguarding or child protection training and I somehow doubt that this crowd are trained teachers…

Exactly this!

[VenetiaHallMasham]

@AngelicaElizaAndPeggy

I would just let people vote with their feet OP. Do parents honestly see this as a positive choice for a day out? Not sure I would take mine - if its a panto Dame vibe, then maybe. But I think it would depend on the Queen and what they talk about.

Actually, that involves too muchproor research, faff and worry on my part. I think we'd just go to the park or somewhere else where I don't have to weigh up the risk of whether sexualised or mysoginistic content will be involved.

While I support people voting with their feet, a generation of parents has been groomed (not least thanks to things like the BBC airing Rupaul's Drag Race) - putting these events on only serves to normalize this. Many people think 'if it's in a library, it must be ok/safe/educational/trustworthy'.

[VenetiaHallMasham]

These resources might be useful for anyone else concerned about this, and/or in the process of writing to their councils to complain:

twitter.com/FamEdTrust/status/1536674208087949312?t=stF8o41w5LkkgUtGCLnTwQ&s=19

familyeducationtrust.org.uk/letter-to-send-to-local-libraries-to-object-to-drag-queen-story-hour/

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/2022/01/09/drag-queen-story-hour/

www.spiked-online.com/2020/03/03/drag-queen-story-time-is-not-okay/

scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=3209&context=cklawreview

[VenetiaHallMasham]

Even the sensible drag queens agree that this is not for children!

Drag Queen Kitty Demure : “I have absolutely no idea why you would want [a drag act] to influence your child, would you want a stripper or porn star to influence your child?” summit.news/2020/01/20/actual-drag-queen-slams-woke-parents-for-allowing-their-kids-to-be-around-drag-queens

[ControversialOpening]

"You would need an Enhanced DBS check. This is what organisations where contact with children and vulnerable adults occurs would always request."

Isn't an enhanced check for those who will be left alone with children/vulnerable adults, sometimes for long periods? Teachers, care assistants, etc.

Basic DBS is for those who will not be left alone with children - school visitors for example.

[mrshoho]

Yes you're right @ControversialOpening . In fact one off performances with where children are supervised don't even require the basic dbs. There are rules around the lawful requests of asking for a dbs under the rehabilitation of offenders act. But I do think people should be aware that a basic dbs does not include a search under the SOR. I'm wary of all child entertainers not just DQSH. Some obtain a basic DBS and some an enhanced.

[Musomama1]

I honestly think this is just an easy gig for some performers. It's another performance avenue to pursue, it's in the afternoon, the audience is extremely non threatening and there's a decent wedge of cash for this whilst being able to perform in the evening.

Then there's all kinds of justification attached to make it 'crucial' which serves to validate and justify the performer.

Children's entertainment has always included play, dress up and fantasy, plenty of age appropriate ways to delight kids.

I've also seen kids loving library story hour just by one of the library assistants being so much fun. You don't need drag.

[LizzyStrata]

Thanks! Very useful reading

[845672AKD]

Message to LizzyStrata: I'd like to use your message of 130622 in an edited version, namely that which includes 'a man approaches his local library and asks to be allowed to read to children who don’t know him, allows them to sit on his knee, blows kisses at them, jokes, hands out treats'

• while respecting your anonymity. When writing to schools in my area or to my local council, should it take place in a library around here. Trust that's OK.

[FrancescaContini]

There’s lots of really useful information here, OP. Very well done for challenging this event.

When shops/restaurants etc say something along the lines of, “Well, nobody else has raised a concern or complaint about this”, it’s a cue to reply that that’s irrelevant, that YOU are complaining, and that you’d like them to listen to you.

[FrancescaContini]

And I agree with a PP that a whole generation of parents is being groomed.

[lollipoprainbow]

I'm assuming you don't all take your kids to panto then ??

[KittenKong]

God that that old chestnut. So widow granny is the same things as Anna Bortion then?

[lollipoprainbow]

Sorry I don't see the problem, presumably you all take your kids to panto where shock horror men are dressed as women. We've had the drag queen story time at our local kids club and was very well received.

[RoseslnTheHospital]

Fgs, panto isn't compulsory. No I don't take my children to panto. Regardless, drag is not the same as panto. Drag is adult sexualised entertainment. Drag performers are not necessarily gay, I have no idea why they have recently become the apparently ideal example of LGBTQ+ representation for children.

[LizzyStrata]

That’s absolutely fine. Good luck!

[FrancescaContini]

@KittenKong

God that that old chestnut. So widow granny is the same things as Anna Bortion then?

Anna Bortion? Jesus wept.

[FrancescaContini]

@lollipoprainbow

Sorry I don't see the problem, presumably you all take your kids to panto where shock horror men are dressed as women. We've had the drag queen story time at our local kids club and was very well received.

Have you read the thread? Do you understand the concerns of many posters here? Do you get it?