Results: There were headlines recently in a local newspaper about a children's story telling event featuring a drag queen that was hosted by the local Library. The event attracted protesters and counter protesters outside but what about the kids inside?
In 2015, the Drag Queen Story Hour, started in San Francisco to help entertain children and families and appeal to their imaginations. Now chapters have spread across North America. The library manager for youth services said that "the library is committed to hosting events celebrating diversity and inclusion, and the Over The Rainbow Story Time series of readings by drag queens are an example of that." Some of the initial reactions to the media headlines when taken without context turned the event into a controversial one. Should it have been?
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The report stated that "The one-hour-long storytime event at the library featured drag queen Felicia Bonée, who read children's stories to families and then led them in a dance party to Katy Perry's Roar and a sing-a-long including Old McDonald Had a Farm and The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round. Meanwhile protesters stood outside the library holding signs and temporarily moved into the building as the event began, briefly shouting, "Let kids be kids." Aside from your initial reaction based on limited information, what do you now think based on some context below?
The library said it designed the program to be a family-friendly event that shares age-appropriate books celebrating diversity and different expressions of identity.
22%
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514 votes
The library also said the kids really appreciated seeing somebody who is dressed up and; to them, it could be a costume or an expression of identity. They interpret it the way they want to interpret it.
24%
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552 votes
Parents and/or caregivers were there to answer any questions the children may have had about the person reading the books but, as expected, the children just accepted everything as a fun event to be enjoyed.
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548 votes
This event should never have happened. The children were much too young to understand about adult sexuality and we should just "let kids be kids".
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602 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
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20 votes
Not Applicable
33%
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760 votes
- Fun time for kids 80% Agenda 20%
- This was just a fun time for the kids. A drag queen is not going to corrupt your children.
- Agenda
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There are many children's events that feature men dressed and women and women dressed as men and even more where the performers are dressed as animals or invented creatures. Is it likely that children who accept these dress up characters at face value would nevertheless become confused or concerned in any way if one of the men dressed as a woman is also dressing this way as part of their personal form of expression? Would this be any different from other children's events such as those below.
One of the traditional Christmas pantomimes is Peter Pan and it features a female in the role of Peter and various men as women relatives such as maiden aunts, usually for comic relief.
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346 votes
The TV show Sesame Street featured a mix of costumed characters including Big Bird, Miss Piggy and her romantic interest in Kermit (a frog) and of course Bert and Ernie.
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479 votes
As long as the focus of the event is on the entertainment and perhaps education of children and not the furtherance of a political, religious, sexual or other adult agenda I see no harm in this reported event being presented by a "drag queen".
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659 votes
Other (please specify)
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68 votes
Not Applicable
51%
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1184 votes
- No, not even when I wear a kilt and want to discuss its part in my culture.
- No, in fact my daughter is the one who got me watching "RuPaul's Drag Race" on TV.
- No, they're not bigots.
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Is it the responsibility of parents to explain adult sexuality in all its varieties to children and how much of this responsibility should be shared with the likes of libraries, schools and or religious organizations? And at what age and under what circumstances?
It is the responsibility of the parent(s).
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1038 votes
It is the responsibility of one or more of the following :- libraries, schools and or religious organizations
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157 votes
This should only be discussed if and when the child is interested enough to ask about it.
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354 votes
Even if the child has not expressed an interest it should be discussed while at Elementary school age.
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228 votes
Even if the child has not expressed an interest it should be discussed while at Junior High school age.
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269 votes
Even if the child has not expressed an interest it should be discussed while at High school age.
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184 votes
"The Discussion" should not be made into a big deal but rather introduced gradually as the opportunity presents itself. This library event may be just such an opportunity.
15%
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339 votes
Other (please specify)
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21 votes
Not Applicable
32%
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727 votes
- In school yard & playing "hospitals" with local kids by age 11. Mom told me at age 16.
- My parents taught me well.
- my mother
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