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[Syt]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/holi-drag-storytime-children-canceled-right-wing-protesters-rcna59990

'Holi-Drag Storytime' for children canceled because of right-wing protesters

Organizers in Columbus, Ohio, were concerned about safety as Proud Boys members and other demonstrators, some armed, gathered near the venue, a church.

The hosts of a "Drag Queen Story Hour"-style event for children in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday pulled the plug because of what they described as the intimidating presence of right-wing demonstrators.

The scheduled holiday themed "Holi-Drag Storytime" at the First Unitarian Church of Columbus, which runs the K-5 institution behind the event, Red Oak Community School, was canceled at the last-minute Saturday morning following internal discussions, organizers said.

Members of Ohio's Proud Boys organization and other right-wing groups made good on promises to make waves outside the venue Saturday. More than 50 demonstrators, including members of the Proud Boys, gathered near the church Saturday morning and shouted, chanted and held up signs. Some were armed with long guns.

As some Republican lawmakers and state leaders have sought to limit the rights of transgender people and make them a campaign issue, right-wing extremists have mounted parallel campaigns on the streets.

Some have all but denied the existence of nonbinary people, embraced legislation limiting transgender student participation in sports, decried gender-neutral bathrooms, and made unfounded allegations about connections between transgender people and certain types of crime.

The Proud Boys has been described by the FBI as an "extremist group with ties to white nationalism."

Five of its members, including Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, were indicted by a federal grand jury on seditious conspiracy charges in connection with their alleged participation in an effort Jan. 6 to overturn the 2020 presidential election in favor of former President Donald Trump. They pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

Fear in Columbus over the week was great enough that the nonprofit Equality Ohio urged LGBTQ+ people and allies not to counterprotest because the situation outside the venue Saturday could be "potentially volatile and dangerous," according to a statement.

"Drag Queen Story Hour" events in Oregon and California this year have been targeted by right-wing demonstrators who have come armed, thrown items, and shouted transphobic slurs.

Following last month's mass shooting at a Colorado Springs, Colorado LGBTQ+ bar that killed five following a "Drag Divas" performance, some high-profile drag performers have increased their security protocols, such as hiring armed guards.

Saturday morning, speaking on the event's stage, framed by holiday decor that included a Christmas tree in the rainbow colors of the pride flag, Red Oak Community School manager Cheryl Ryan made an emotional video address explaining why "Holi-Drag Storytime" was canceled.

She said that while police acknowledged the event, collaboration was lacking, and some of the participants felt unsafe, despite the planned presence of more than 100 security volunteers who planned to create a human perimeter around the venue.

Ryan blamed local leaders, including law enforcement, for letting members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators gather while the audience for "Holi-Drag Storytime" ultimately could not.

"I received hundreds of emails, calls and messages from folks in the community asking, How can I help? What can I do? I'm ready to show up," Ryan said. "I never heard this message form the city's leadership and those whose job it is to protect us."

She said the event sold nearly 1,000 individual tickets, the vast majority going to supporters who had no intention of attending.

Armed men protest Holi-drag, an event at the Red Oak Community School where local drag queens read story books, on Dec. 3, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio.

[The Larch]

That kind of military cosplay reaches impersonation of authority levels.

[The Brain]

At least they didn't bring their waifu body pillows.

[Barrister]

The idea of "drag queen story hour" seems deeply weird to me.  My kids are mostly too old to be read stories, but even if they were younger I would not take them to such an event.  It just weirdly sexualizes something as innocent as reading a story to little kids.

I could point out that such things are incredibly rare - which they are.  They seem entirely dug up by certain right-wing culture warriors in order to get offended.  I've never heard of such an event in real life.  But then again I've also argued in the past "well if it's so rare it shouldn't be a big deal to ban it, then".

Fundamentally though - people are free to do what they want to do.  If a drag queen wants to read a story to little kids, so be it.  If parents want to take their kids to have a story read to them by a drag queen, so be it.  The fact it might be on public property, like a public library... who cares!  If I think Christian groups should be allowed to use public property for their events (which I do), then other groups should be allowed to as well.

[Sheilbh]

Also they're saying on the one hand it's essential for parents to have a say on what goes on in schools, but not what events they can take their kids to? It's almost like it's just bad faith homophobia/moral panic.

Although I come from a country where if you've not had a man in drag throw a Quality Street at you by the time you're 9, you've had an officially sad childhood.

Edit: Which does have an impact - I find the idea of drag as in any sexualised a bit odd because I think the bigger tradition here is very much camp comedy.

[frunk]

The idea of "drag queen story hour" seems deeply weird to me.  My kids are mostly too old to be read stories, but even if they were younger I would not take them to such an event.  It just weirdly sexualizes something as innocent as reading a story to little kids.

Sexualizes?  Would you feel the same way if Dame Edna did a kid's story hour?

[Josquius]

Little kids love pantomime dames. The bright colours and over the top silliness hits a sweet spot for them.

Showing up in full military gear to protest something so harmless as this... Jeez if you don't realise who the baddies are...

[Sheilbh]

Sexualizes?  Would you feel the same way if Dame Edna did a kid's story hour?

Australia's greatest export.

[Sophie Scholl]

I was talking to my mom the other day and she made a similar comment about "sexualizing" things with the inclusion of trans/drag/gay/basically anything LGBT in terms of representation. I can't help but feel that is more of a "you" problem if you think that such inclusion automatically means something is sexualized. I fail to see how having representation and getting kids to be comfortable around and normalize all different types of people and relationships is a bad thing. To me, there is nothing inherently sexual from having people and relationships that deviate from the cishet norm and it kind of makes me uncomfortable that people believe there is to be honest. Having a drag reading hour, to me, is far, far less "sexualizing" than the pageant scene for kids for example. It isn't like the drag artists are performing a strip tease or burlesque performance. They're simply in drag going about a normal task: reading stories to kids.

[garbon]

The idea of "drag queen story hour" seems deeply weird to me.  My kids are mostly too old to be read stories, but even if they were younger I would not take them to such an event.  It just weirdly sexualizes something as innocent as reading a story to little kids.

I could point out that such things are incredibly rare - which they are.  They seem entirely dug up by certain right-wing culture warriors in order to get offended.  I've never heard of such an event in real life.  But then again I've also argued in the past "well if it's so rare it shouldn't be a big deal to ban it, then".

Fundamentally though - people are free to do what they want to do.  If a drag queen wants to read a story to little kids, so be it.  If parents want to take their kids to have a story read to them by a drag queen, so be it.  The fact it might be on public property, like a public library... who cares!  If I think Christian groups should be allowed to use public property for their events (which I do), then other groups should be allowed to as well.

How disappointing of you

[Barrister]

How disappointing of you

Please forgive me for not agreeing with you in the right way.

[Valmy]

The idea of "drag queen story hour" seems deeply weird to me.  My kids are mostly too old to be read stories, but even if they were younger I would not take them to such an event.  It just weirdly sexualizes something as innocent as reading a story to little kids.

I could point out that such things are incredibly rare - which they are.  They seem entirely dug up by certain right-wing culture warriors in order to get offended.  I've never heard of such an event in real life.  But then again I've also argued in the past "well if it's so rare it shouldn't be a big deal to ban it, then".

Fundamentally though - people are free to do what they want to do.  If a drag queen wants to read a story to little kids, so be it.  If parents want to take their kids to have a story read to them by a drag queen, so be it.  The fact it might be on public property, like a public library... who cares!  If I think Christian groups should be allowed to use public property for their events (which I do), then other groups should be allowed to as well.

It's weird. What about all the tons of kids movies where men dress up as women? What about say Mulan (the good one)? I don't remember all the parents rushing their kids out of the movie theatre in horror in the scene where they dress up like women to save the Emperor. I don't know. It seems to me that men dressing in women's clothes has been part of kids and adults entertainment for literally centuries. The ability of culture warriors to invent fake issues to morally panic about is truly amazing.

It's funny and entertaining when done in a wholesome way.

But in this context it is about normalizing it. That is what this is really about, that is what is freaking out the culture warriors. It is not about protecting kids. It is about keeping trans people as weird and scary as possible.

[Valmy]

They're simply in drag going about a normal task: reading stories to kids.

Exactly. Yeah if they are doing something sexual then yeah that's not right. But that would be true if anybody was doing anything with kids.

[Tamas]

I am guessing maybe B and other parents are worried about how to explain why those dudes are dressed as ladies? But why would it have to be explained? They like to dress in ladies clothes for fun is all the explanation a kid would need, I would assume.

[garbon]

I am guessing maybe B and other parents are worried about how to explain why those dudes are dressed as ladies? But why would it have to be explained? They like to dress in ladies clothes for fun is all the explanation a kid would need, I would assume.

I'm not sure what else to explain. After all, a person can dress in drag with no sexual goal.

Drag queens do often lean into sexual humor but I doubt they were doing so at children reading hour.