Drag Queen Story Hours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was just talking about this the other day with my wife (we're lesbian moms with a toddler) - why this of all things has become such a battle ground. I think a lot of it has to do with virtue signaling on both sides. I think it's important not to capitulate to these proud boy thugs but DQSH isn't really our thing (I'm not a huge fan of drag in general as I think it can have a misogynist streak). I don't really see any harm in it either though (never been, but assuming they just read to the kids in an over the top way). Think it can be fun for a lot of families, and it's also a way for them to take a stand in the culture wars.

Also, lol to the PP who suggested a normally dressed lesbian story hour - how boring!

You know that lesbian women are not the "spoke person" for men drag queens, just like you would not like gay men to speak for you or your experience. Right?

I wasn't speaking for male drag queens, just as a lesbian mom responding to a question about what parents find appealing about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was just talking about this the other day with my wife (we're lesbian moms with a toddler) - why this of all things has become such a battle ground. I think a lot of it has to do with virtue signaling on both sides. I think it's important not to capitulate to these proud boy thugs but DQSH isn't really our thing (I'm not a huge fan of drag in general as I think it can have a misogynist streak). I don't really see any harm in it either though (never been, but assuming they just read to the kids in an over the top way). Think it can be fun for a lot of families, and it's also a way for them to take a stand in the culture wars.

Also, lol to the PP who suggested a normally dressed lesbian story hour - how boring!

Part of my objection to it is social media.

I'd actually be fine with DQSH if all parents had to lock their phones away. But it really feels like parents are bringing their kids to these things just use them in their insta stories to show how progressive they are.

It feels fake and performative. Like the kids are just a prop or a tool

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re fun. That’s it. There’s nothing sexual about them

If you say so. Do you ever ask yourself why these men want to be around young children. If they were not dressed up in these outfits would you still take your kids to see a random man read stories. For some reason the customers and make up somehow make it acceptable.

Ding ding ding

What percent of child abuse is committed by men who first try to blur kids’ boundaries around sex?

Not every drag queen is a danger, but many people who really are a danger would be interested in being in that kind of situation

Some decisions are pretty easy

How is reading books sexual?

Being deliberately obtuse isn’t going to get you anywhere

Seriously. How is a drag queen reading a book sexual? Or “blurring boundaries”?

If you don’t think a man dressing as an over the top woman is blurring boundaries, I don’t know what to tell you.

+1

Agree. But I would go a step further and argue that drag queens are not just males performing femininity, but they are males pantomiming female sexuality. That is what drag queens do, and that is what drag performance is all about. Their personas don't exist in a benign non-sexualized context like a Disney princess. Drag Queens have always blurred the lines between what is and is not acceptable. And DQSH is now blurring boundaries between adult entertainment and child entertainment, between traditionally adult sexual themes and "family-friendly". Teaching your kids that Drag Queens (adult males who perform female sexuality) are for children is very much desensitizing your kids to appropriate boundaries and behavior regarding sex. And your child can't consent.

Tell me you don't understand drag without telling me you don't understand drag.

And when someone has their kids watch The Little Mermaid, and Ursula comes onscreen with her gigantic boobs and gyrates around singing about "body language," is that also desensitizing your kids to appropriate boundaries and behavior regarding sex?

Yeah, I've always had a problem with Ursula, who was in reality based on an actual drag queen. It's an oversexualized female villain as portrayed by a male cartoonist who was inspired by a male-created oversexualixed appropriated caricature of a female, traditionally performed by a male for a male audience. It is performative, appropriated, male-centric sexuality, and the male gaze magnified by 1000. The real antidote to DQSH would be lesbian story hour, where lesbians wear comfortable clothes and read age appropriate books about accepting yourself as you are.

As someone who thinks drag is fundamentally misogynist at heart and rooted in very problematic sexist tropes, I would 100% have my kid attend the bolded. Now THAT would be actually empowering.

Totally agree. Would bring my kids to that as well

Great, it's called librarian story time.

I’m pretty sure that was PPs point. Lesbian librarians have been putting in this work for kids for years and being positive role models, all without the attention-seeking need to make themselves the center of a misogynist drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re fun. That’s it. There’s nothing sexual about them

If you say so. Do you ever ask yourself why these men want to be around young children. If they were not dressed up in these outfits would you still take your kids to see a random man read stories. For some reason the customers and make up somehow make it acceptable.

Ding ding ding

What percent of child abuse is committed by men who first try to blur kids’ boundaries around sex?

Not every drag queen is a danger, but many people who really are a danger would be interested in being in that kind of situation

Some decisions are pretty easy

How is reading books sexual?

Being deliberately obtuse isn’t going to get you anywhere

Seriously. How is a drag queen reading a book sexual? Or “blurring boundaries”?

If you don’t think a man dressing as an over the top woman is blurring boundaries, I don’t know what to tell you.

+1

Agree. But I would go a step further and argue that drag queens are not just males performing femininity, but they are males pantomiming female sexuality. That is what drag queens do, and that is what drag performance is all about. Their personas don't exist in a benign non-sexualized context like a Disney princess. Drag Queens have always blurred the lines between what is and is not acceptable. And DQSH is now blurring boundaries between adult entertainment and child entertainment, between traditionally adult sexual themes and "family-friendly". Teaching your kids that Drag Queens (adult males who perform female sexuality) are for children is very much desensitizing your kids to appropriate boundaries and behavior regarding sex. And your child can't consent.

Tell me you don't understand drag without telling me you don't understand drag.

And when someone has their kids watch The Little Mermaid, and Ursula comes onscreen with her gigantic boobs and gyrates around singing about "body language," is that also desensitizing your kids to appropriate boundaries and behavior regarding sex?

Yeah, I've always had a problem with Ursula, who was in reality based on an actual drag queen. It's an oversexualized female villain as portrayed by a male cartoonist who was inspired by a male-created oversexualixed appropriated caricature of a female, traditionally performed by a male for a male audience. It is performative, appropriated, male-centric sexuality, and the male gaze magnified by 1000. The real antidote to DQSH would be lesbian story hour, where lesbians wear comfortable clothes and read age appropriate books about accepting yourself as you are.

As someone who thinks drag is fundamentally misogynist at heart and rooted in very problematic sexist tropes, I would 100% have my kid attend the bolded. Now THAT would be actually empowering.

Totally agree. Would bring my kids to that as well

Great, it's called librarian story time.

Exactly. And it's perfect for kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

You don't have to divorce it since it was never married.

That’s some pretty serious denial of the history and intent behind drag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Pervert. This is not sexualized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Applying the same standards, if we decide it’s okay to ignore the history and context of drag, you can’t argue when someone shows up to do story time in black face. It’s just a costume!! As long as they don’t behave inappropriately, it’s fine!

That indeed seems to be the position of the people defending DQSH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was just talking about this the other day with my wife (we're lesbian moms with a toddler) - why this of all things has become such a battle ground. I think a lot of it has to do with virtue signaling on both sides. I think it's important not to capitulate to these proud boy thugs but DQSH isn't really our thing (I'm not a huge fan of drag in general as I think it can have a misogynist streak). I don't really see any harm in it either though (never been, but assuming they just read to the kids in an over the top way). Think it can be fun for a lot of families, and it's also a way for them to take a stand in the culture wars.

Also, lol to the PP who suggested a normally dressed lesbian story hour - how boring!

Part of my objection to it is social media.

I'd actually be fine with DQSH if all parents had to lock their phones away. But it really feels like parents are bringing their kids to these things just use them in their insta stories to show how progressive they are.

It feels fake and performative. Like the kids are just a prop or a tool

This is a very myopic viewpoint. You’re seeing performative. I’m seeing families having a good time and taking a few pictures. You have no idea if there is a social media element involved. To assume so is more about you. And even if they posted pictures they’re sharing what they’re doing. It doesn’t make it
“performative”. I hope you had fun using a new vocabulary word today too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Pervert. This is not sexualized.

He/she wasn't saying that the story time is secualized but rather how it all started certainly was. Reading comprehension!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

I think if I want to take my kids to a book reading, I should be able to. If you don't want me to, that's not your prerogative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was just talking about this the other day with my wife (we're lesbian moms with a toddler) - why this of all things has become such a battle ground. I think a lot of it has to do with virtue signaling on both sides. I think it's important not to capitulate to these proud boy thugs but DQSH isn't really our thing (I'm not a huge fan of drag in general as I think it can have a misogynist streak). I don't really see any harm in it either though (never been, but assuming they just read to the kids in an over the top way). Think it can be fun for a lot of families, and it's also a way for them to take a stand in the culture wars.

Also, lol to the PP who suggested a normally dressed lesbian story hour - how boring!

Part of my objection to it is social media.

I'd actually be fine with DQSH if all parents had to lock their phones away. But it really feels like parents are bringing their kids to these things just use them in their insta stories to show how progressive they are.

It feels fake and performative. Like the kids are just a prop or a tool

This is a very myopic viewpoint. You’re seeing performative. I’m seeing families having a good time and taking a few pictures. You have no idea if there is a social media element involved. To assume so is more about you. And even if they posted pictures they’re sharing what they’re doing. It doesn’t make it
“performative”. I hope you had fun using a new vocabulary word today too!

Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Pervert. This is not sexualized.

He/she wasn't saying that the story time is secualized but rather how it all started certainly was. Reading comprehension!

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Pervert. This is not sexualized.

But it is mocking older women and their physical appearance.

Let’s just say this: an actual older woman dressed like that, with that hair, would likely be barred from children’s story hour. There would be questions about her mental state, her capacity, whatever. This is a man, using his male privilege to parody the physical appearance of older women who are not accorded the same privileges in life. It’s misogyny in action.

[Anonymous]

I suspect the misogyny poster is a dude. And DGAF

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:As long as it is all voluntary and appropriately advertised, then I don’t see the problem.

If people want to take their kids to this, that’s okay. If people don’t want to take their kids, that’s okay too. What is not okay is if people are not provided options to decide for themselves.

So I would not be a fan of the public library just advertising a “story hour” and you would not be able to know if it was or was not a “drag queen story hour”.

It is important to distinguish this from just a trans person reading stories, which is different because a “drag queen” is a specific persona and in effect a costume.

That's an interesting point. But the library wouldn't need to disclose in advance that Elsa or Alice in Wonderland might show up at story time. Why is that, do you think? What is it about the persona of a Drag Queen that differentiates it from just any fictional female character? Could it be that they are males who are pantomiming female sexuality, and those personas exist to entertain adult patrons in adult spaces regarding sexual themes?

A drag performer is traditionally a cisgender gay man. Some trans people as well as cisgender women do drag now as well. The thing that some people that aren't familiar with drag don't seem to understand is that a drag queen is a character putting on a performance.

A trans woman normally takes hormones which changes the shape of her body/face and make her grow breasts as well as a host of other things that happen on estrogen. There are a lot of possible surgeries that trans women can get. Some get all, some get none. Trans women live their entire lives as women. Sometimes you'll see a really cringy looking trans woman but that's usually early in transition. After a few years, most have the goal of just blending in as best as they can because they just want to live a normal life like they did before. But now as a woman because that matches how they felt inside.

When a drag queen takes off the costume, he's a man under it. A trans woman looks like (or does her best to look like) and lives as a woman all the time.

If you are a cisgender man portraying a caricature of women to children, this is helpful exactly…how? These story times are being branded as a way to promote acceptance. The proponents of drag queen story time can’t seem to agree on who exactly the drag queens are and what are their purpose at a story time is. You all might want to tighten up your story.

I'm not a cisgender man that does drag. I'm a trans woman. I've never once done a drag performance nor do I have any desire to do so. I have no problem watching drag or taking my children to a DQ Story Hour though. It's literally just a man in a dress reading a kid's book.

It's more than that though. You can't just divorce drag from its history and context as a sexualized performative caricature of females by and for adult males, and claim it's for kids now. Just like you can't host a minstrel story hour and claim it's just a guy in a costume reading a book.

Pervert. This is not sexualized.

He/she wasn't saying that the story time is secualized but rather how it all started certainly was. Reading comprehension!

If it’s not sexualized then why are so many panties in a bunch?