Anyone know the truth about the protests against Drag storytime at the Honor Oak Pub?

[LindorDoubleChoc]

WHY DO CHILDREN NEED STORIES READ TO THEM BY DRAG QUEENS?

This is the pressing question above all!

Anyway, does anyone local know what actually happened. There was a police presence and organised protests apparently. I would love to hear the full story from someone directly involved.

It has become an unbecoming row on our local Facebook page (SE23 Mums). The hectoring posts have been created by the pro drag side.

That's an argument for private events for sure, but DQST is taking place in libraries and paid for by public money.

Use public money, take public opinion.

Also, it's just wrong and it's not the kids fault their grown ups haven't got a scooby do.

I tried really hard to add a voice of reason on Scummy Mummy's page.

I had no idea of the existence of Scummy Mummies before this thread, but of course have now meandered over to have a look at their page.

The "fight facism by supporting Drag Queens + children events" narrative is quite laughable (or would be if it wasn't rather serious). There are some very limited thinkers making comments there and on all the other local FB pages about this story.

Meanwhile, a group of Mum friends and I have quietly changed the venue for our planned night out. I can't support this pub and the events it holds.

We occasionally go for lunch while the kids are at school, but swerve it entirely on the weekend. Not sure whether I will be able to bring myself to go back now.

I thought the way some parents were insulting anyone who dared raised concerns over the video circulating from a drag show at Honor Oak pub was disgusting.

Please watch this video from Dominique Samuels. Shocked by what's happening at these shows.

Defending myself about the "cut hair" post. Fair enough, I was flippant in the way I expressed it, but that's because I am exasperated about the prospect of yet another child landing up on a transition pathway to what all the evidence shows will be her detriment.

I can't keep seeing these kids and not react with emotion. There is a pathway - if parents think "how great drag queens are, how liberating, how gay history, how cultural, how artistic, how sparkly, how funny" then they seem to lose all common sense.

What we have had is a series of men using drag to get close to children and indulge in sexualised behaviour. If a parent sees that and thinks anything other than "red flag" then I'd worry about the child.

Same for a young teen girl who does this: emotional upset or just teen moods, baggy tops, increasing time online, dip dyes hair, undercut, shaves the lot, attends Pride (with her parents), goes to LGBT+ group at school, gets into anime, gives herself a new name, says she's NB, starts to bind, says she's trans, gets affirmed, lands up in gender clinic.

It's a pattern we have seen in our kids social circle for a long time now and it is always in the same order.

Some parents (like me) do "fresh air and exercise" and "dress as you want" and "we love you as you are and you are not going to a gender clinic until you can drive yourself there" and some parents (almost all) get sucked in by Mermaids/LGBTYS/school's untruths that "better a live son than a dead daughter"

So, yes, you are right, I was unnecessarily flippant about a young girl and her style. I just really, really hope it is only style because I am worried by seeing the number of kids who transition without ever speaking to a psychiatrist. They are trans because they got a baggy jumper and the next step, and the next step - all done before a doctor gets a look in. Teenagers are influenced by each other.

I was projecting because it's distressing to see all these bright young things that I know throw everything into the Trainbow when we KNOW most of these girls are autistic/truamatised/gay/lonely.

However, you made a good point. And so, I think, did I.

It's a shame it has to be in the Daily Mail but today there is an article with more details and photos of what goes on at these events.

Can we summarise it with "grubby and depressing at best, a sexualised horror show at worst"?

StephanieSuperpowers · Today 15:36

Well, that certainly seems to be an accurate assessment.

😢

I honestly don't think that video was shot in a pub. If you look at pictures of the Honor Oak pub, it's not there. It looks like a community centre or room for hire at a library or something.

The coppertop video? The drag artist herself confirmed it was there.

No, sorry, I mean the one that Dominique Samuels tweeted which featured in the DM article. They said it's the pub and I don't think it is.

The part with the DQ doing the splits looks as if it’s in a pub. The later clip of the aerial bondage might be somewhere else; I don’t know the pub in question. Both those clips show behaviour which is entirely inappropriate where children are present.

The video of the DQ doing the splits is the Honor Oak pub, the footage of the bondage aerial cabaret club for babies was definitely not. The DM have corrected the article now - it's somewhere in Waterloo apparently.

The bondage guy did not seem to be in a pub, more like a gym or large hall - hired for the occasion? Definitely not suitable for children.

I said "what goes on at these events" not specifically about the pub. I'm looking at the parents sitting on the floor with babies on their laps watching the bondage guy and just thinking wtaf?

Has anyone tried reporting any of these groups or SM accounts to the NSPCC?

Does anyone know the people who are the admins of SE23mums? There was a post last night about the drags events in pubs in lewisham referencing articles in the press. It seems the post was removed this morning by admin.

Quite shocked to see this censorship. Local parents have a right to voice their concerns. This is an issue which concerns the whole community. The issue is being debated in printed press as well as TV. So why are the admins shutting down all discussions?

Did anyone see David Aaronovitch's article in the Times earlier this week defending DGST? Takes the view that it's largely harmless fun, a bit like panto dames. Haven't got a share token, sorry.

You can click on the group and find out their names. I'm not posting them here.

I can see the names of the 3 people. I'm just wondering if anyone locally actually know them. And understand why they are censoring an issue which concerns the whole community in Lewisham?

These events are now in MSM! It's all over newspapers and even on TV last night. So the censorship makes no sense.

I agree with taking the posts down. It’s meant to be a friendly helpful space for parents. It was being inundated with angry posts and the admins were having to moderate them all. There’s plenty of places to discuss this but it doesn’t need to be there.

I agree with this. I don’t do FB but know people in the group it’s just meant to be a friendly space

I'm quite vocally opposed to Drag Queen + children events but don't want to get into arguments on Facebook about it.