Drag Queens reading children books in a library?

[Hulk's iconHulk]

So there's been a few posts on Facebook lately especially with New Zealanders who are mixed on drag queens being able to read books to children in libraries.

One person tried to say drag queens are adult entertainers who should only read books or perform for people in care facilities or people in prison.

To me they're still human and just because they may be drag queens doesn't devalue them or give them lower status in communities.

What are your thoughts?

 

[DrLeftover]

If it were anything other than an attempt to influence impressionable children into that lifestyle I would have a Free Speech based opinion on it.


“Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man”
-Aristotle

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I think its fine. Drag queens are often over the top in terms of fashion, lots of colors, make-up, big / animated personalities, perfect type of person to add a bit of atmosphere and whimsy to a story book reading. They are probably doing voices for the characters in the book, doing act outs and really putting on a show.

 

[PGen98]

People misunderstanding drag culture is what leads to this ignorance. Drag isn't inherently sexual, and reading books to children in drag does not automatically mean they're trying to sell them on drag culture or the drag lifestyle. They're simply trying to show that they're just average people who enjoy drag. If kids are exposed to it by the WRONG people, then it comes off in entirely the wrong light, but to show that drag queens are really just normal, fun people and drag is nothing to be intimidated by or ignorantly hateful towards.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

People misunderstanding drag culture is what leads to this ignorance. Drag isn't inherently sexual, and reading books to children in drag does not automatically mean they're trying to sell them on drag culture or the drag lifestyle. They're simply trying to show that they're just average people who enjoy drag. If kids are exposed to it by the WRONG people, then it comes off in entirely the wrong light, but to show that drag queens are really just normal, fun people and drag is nothing to be intimidated by or ignorantly hateful towards.

Indeed. If you don't make a big deal out of it and just let your kids sit and listen to a story, whats the harm?

 

[PGen98]

Indeed. If you don't make a big deal out of it and just let your kids sit and listen to a story, whats the harm?

Right! No difference between a drag queen and that moron Blippi. People dressed up and putting on a show.

 

[Hulk's iconHulk]

If people have seen stuff like Rocky Horror, Mrs Doubtfire, Dame Edna Everage they're already used to drag. Even Mrs Brown's Boys...

Mrs Doubtfire is a kids movie. It's not adult entertainment.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

If people have seen stuff like Rocky Horror, Mrs Doubtfire, Dame Edna Everage they're already used to drag. Even Mrs Brown's Boys...

Mrs Doubtfire is a kids movie. It's not adult entertainment.

Odd how society seems to pick and choose whats appropriate or not...

On TV = thats fine.

In the same room = off limits?

 

[PGen98]

If people have seen stuff like Rocky Horror, Mrs Doubtfire, Dame Edna Everage they're already used to drag. Even Mrs Brown's Boys...

Mrs Doubtfire is a kids movie. It's not adult entertainment.

This is the thing, none of this is new. Drag has been around forever, hell, Shakespeare could never have performed a single play without drag existing. They only came under fire because of the ignorant war on trans people. Otherwise drag would still just be plain old drag.

The high and mighty "protect our kids" mantra from people who don't have and don't honestly give a damn about kids. It's all fueled, targeted hatred.

 

[Hulk's iconHulk]

Odd how society seems to pick and choose whats appropriate or not...

On TV = thats fine.

In the same room = off limits?

I read a comment on Facebook this morning comparing the LGBT community to pedophiles. They're so lucky comments were disabled before I came online or I would have said something.

 

[PGen98]

I read a comment on Facebook this morning comparing the LGBT community to pedophiles. They're so lucky comments were disabled before I came online or I would have said something.

This is why we start to see hate groups within our own community, like the LGB Alliance.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I read a comment on Facebook this morning comparing the LGBT community to pedophiles. They're so lucky comments were disabled before I came online or I would have said something.

Posting on facebook is just shouting into the void. Nobody is listening and the people you're interacting with you'll never talk to again.

 

[MrDawn]

Mrs Doubtfire is a kids movie. It's not adult entertainment.

Very true. Robin Williams did it and no one had a problem then. Why now I wonder?

 

[riseabovethis]

Right! No difference between a drag queen and that moron Blippi. People dressed up and putting on a show.

Young lady if I tell my grandsons what you said about Blippi you're going to be in big trouble.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Very true. Robin Williams did it and no one had a problem then. Why now I wonder?

....because it being on television isn't the same as being in the same room as your kids I suppose?

 

[PGen98]

Young lady if I tell my grandsons what you said about Blippi you're going to be in big trouble.

Oh I already have to face the wrath of a six year old daily for not liking Blippi, bring on the grandsons

 

[Dee]

I have no qualms with drag queens reading to children and don't understand why anyone else would. They're simply contributing to a child's educational development.

 

[DrLeftover]

Perhaps I am not naive enough to give them the benefit of doubt.

 

[PGen98]

Perhaps I am not naive enough to give them the benefit of doubt.

 

[Kyng]

Yeah, drag isn't inherently sexual - so, I have no problem with drag queens reading to kids.

Of course the stories (and the drag) would have to be age-appropriate, but that's not specific to drag queens: it applies to everybody.