How to complain about Drag Queen Story Time

[ElizabethJaneHenchard]

I'm going to a venue tonight that is hosting the Drag Queen Story Time later this year.
How do I complain about this, without seeming like a right-wing reactionary?
Do I hand in a letter, talking about safeguarding concerns, or how should I approach it? I will obviously be boycotting the venue from now on, if they have such a weak grasp of safeguarding, but I would like to do more than that.
What would you suggest?

I am genuinely interested in what the safeguarding concerns are?

Same. Is it a specific drag queen who has done something wrong? Isn't DBS checked?

Don't be like this person and ruin it for the children

Why do you consider this a safeguarding issue?

Do you also consider Pantomimes safeguarding issues too? What about TV shows with drag characters such as Mrs Brown/Lily Savage/Dame Edna etc?

In regards to safeguarding concerns and certain stereotypes that I am seeing I would like to add that I would feel more comfortable for my son to be around a drag queen than say your white, straight middle aged husband for a sleepover. Surely you must know that most sex offenders fall into this group as opposed to drag queens?

Well you are being a right wing reactionary

And that's exactly how a complaint will come off

How do you even propose to link this to a safeguarding concern?

Is the featured drag queen the one where there are a number of photograph’s of him with an erection visible under his rainbow jump suit when he’s talking to the children? If it is suggest mentioning that as your safeguarding concern and include pictures

Why in this time of economic difficulty are libraries paying large sums for outside groups to read to the children?

Does he have a pornified or double entendre name?
if you google him and get on to his website are there things ob there which are unsuitable for children?

Comparing panto with drag is dishonest.

And which of those other shows is for children exactly? And which ones does the actor claim the persona as an alter ego?

Anyway, back to the question: I don't know but just asking for a DBS check and checking they are applying any safe guarding policies would be a good start.

Virtually all sex offenders fall into the male group. Which includes drag queens.

Do you have specific research on drag queens' rates of offending, though, I'd be interested to see it?

I don't understand why anyone would take their child to one of those story times.

You might also ask ....
How much they are being paid and is this the same as other readers?
Whether they will have the opportunity to sell any merchandise?
Whether any photos will be taken of the children and will they be posted online?

MargaritaPie · Today 17:30
Why do you consider this a safeguarding issue?

Do you also consider Pantomimes safeguarding issues too? What about TV shows with drag characters such as Mrs Brown/Lily Savage/Dame Edna etc?

How many times does it have to be said: a drag Queen is not the same as a pantomime dame.

Here are some contrasting screen shots, and Dames are a small part within the pantomime story not the purpose of the show.

Dame Edna, was a social satirist dressed as a middle aged woman, unsexualised, and on at 9 or afterwards. Lily Savage was largely acted in pubs and was not for young children either.

Opinions vary on this one.

The story times are very popular and are often sold out, they have strong support and there are always counter-protestors in attendance in response to anyone protesting against the storytimes (or worse, actually invading and causing disruption and trouble in front of the kids).

Drag and panto are completely different and everyone knows it. Traditionally drag is adult entertainment and panto is for children. It's transparently dishonest to pretend otherwise.

DQST doesn't centre children, it's not even inclusive. Given that outside of DQST nearly all children are not going to encounter a drag queen until they're adult, it's really not about inclusivity. It's seems more important that all the adults involved can pretend they're really inclusive and shower in rainbow glitter.

If it was about inclusivity there would be disabled person or older person story time, or a minority person story time.

But if it is inclusive, then to what exactly? M Drag queens traditionally inhabit adult venues in the night time. I've never seen a drag queen outside of an adult venue.

I'm struggling to think of any other entertainment which only found in adult venues and the children' corner of the library.

Maybe serve the children mocktails so children can get the full adult entertainment (for children) experience.

It's great drag queens can work in the day as drag now, but let's not pretend it's for the children.

And yes, where children are involved, there is always a safeguarding risk.

And Mrs Brown is a man in drag, not a drag queen. Can MP not see the difference between adult and children's entertainers?

Would you take your child to stripper story time?

It's far from right wing to point these things out posters, yawn.

CheeseyToasts · Today 07:47

”SkiingIsHeaven · Yesterday 23:33
I don't understand why anyone would take their child to one of those story times”

Because some parents aren't 50+ year old bigots

CheeseyToasts, did you realise that there are not likely to be parents of young children who are anywhere near fifty?

So what are all those parents who are not taking their little children to DQST not liking about it?

I’m also confused as to why any parent would take their child to a story time read by an adult entertainer.
Just waiting for the Lap Dance/Stripper/Bernard Manning story time to be advertised.

For me, any complaints I raise would focus on:

• inclusively- the banner that this type of event falls under, even though there'd literally NEVER any other type of story time from Minority groups
• appropriateness of the specific DQ - name, costume, jokes
• my opinion that DQs are men mocking women, strongly tied to adult entertainment in nightclubs and therefore not really an appropriate entertainment source for children
• the venue itself policy on trans, using the correct terminology for women and girls.

Brilliant, next post, I bet we're all white supremacists too.

Anyone with even the slightest hint of common sense knows drag queens are completely unsuitable for children. Sexualised adult entertainment should not be foisted on kids in public places. The only reason it has traction is the downright stupid middle-class bad parent following (although calling them bad parents will no doubt be seen by them as a reaction to what they delude themselves is their cool, trendy edginess, no they're not really boring privileged surburbanites and they'll prove it!). If it was people like me doing it we'd have social services on us before you could say 'hello children and are you sitting comfortably.' It certainly doesn't benefit children so what's the point of it? Or are the children supposed to be just more background props in someone's 'fabulous' life?

Unfortunately for some PPs, them shrieking random meaningless words like BIGOT!!!!! or RIGHT!!! WING!!!!! at mothers rightly not allowing sexualised adult entertainment near their kids doesn't work. In fact, it just makes decent parents more determined to protect their children. Safeguarding matters.