Recently, I noticed this meme making the rounds:
I dug around to find out if it was accurate. For all I knew, it had been photoshopped and used to promote a homophobic agenda. At first, I had no luck finding details. However, during my research efforts, I learned some other stuff, e.g.
*A registered child sex offender had been reading to children at Houston Public Library as part of its “Drag Queen Storytime.”
*In Minnesota, for example, a couple of men who participated in “Drag Queen Story Hour” flashed the young children who (for some reason) had men in drag reading to them.
*This month, young children were brought to a Texas gay bar for an event called “Drag Your Kids to Pride.” These kids were encouraged to give dollar bills to the men dressed as women who were suggestively performing in front of a large neon sign that read “It’s not gonna lick itself.” Some children were actually included in the show:
While I was in the midst of this wake-up call, I kept digging and digging until I discovered the truth about the meme that started this article. The photo is real and was taken at a place called SoBou Burlesque Brunch in New Orleans. The dancer is not a drag queen. She’s a woman (I figured that out despite not being a biologist) named Bella Blue:
So, the original meme caption would be accurate and equally inappropriate if you change “drag queen” to “burlesque dancer.”
I have questions.
1. Why are prepubescent children being taught about sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation? It’s one thing if a child has same-sex parents and other kids ask questions about it. Some basic details should be shared. Beyond that, why would a 6-year-old need to understand sex — never mind crossdressing, stripping, and who licks what? Who is this program “helping”?
2. Why is drag so over-represented? Crossdressing does not make you gay. The concept of drag is a niche entertainment field yet it dominates Gay Pride festivities as if it has anything to do with L, G, or B. Why do gay people allow their celebrations to be fronted by men in drag who may or not even be gay and, at most, represent only a minuscule fraction of the LGB community?
3. Why do grown men or women want to dance and gyrate half-naked in front of children in the first place? Regardless of their individual intentions, they are normalizing behavior that should be seen by kids as a serious red flag.
4. Why are we so afraid to name what we see? When men wear exaggerated (and incredibly sexist) “female” outfits and grind for money from school kids, why not name precisely what we are witnessing? Is everyone so afraid of cancellation scare tactics that they’ll remain silent as innocent people of all ages become victims? (The same goes when “protestors” at Black Lives Matter events burn mom-and-pop businesses to the ground.)
5. Why is drag accepted and celebrated while blackface is (understandably) shunned? Imagine if #woke parents brought their kindergarteners to a show in which white performers pretended to be black — you know, to teach tots about critical race theory and all. Justifiably, there would be outrage. But somehow, it’s okay for men to dress in stylized outfits that essentially mock womanhood. The hypocrisy and misogyny are standard operating procedure for the “left.” Remember, kids: you can be transsexual but no one can ever be transracial. I know it doesn’t make sense but it doesn’t have to make sense — and you still must accept it.
The house of cards described above cannot stand up to even the most cursory examination. So, diligently do your homework to make sure you have your facts straight, respectfully ask the questions that need to be asked, and follow your heart.
If something feels obviously wrong or creepy, you have the freedom to reject it. Sure, the straw man crowd will call you names. But that’s a small price to pay in the name of protecting children while maintaining your ability to think critically. As more people snap out of the current trance, you will not be alone.
Thanks for w writing what a lot of us feel. I live in a conservative area and drag queen story hour will not be happening at the local library.
But that local conservatism also comes with opposition to Roe vs Wade; a sometimes over zealous, knee jerk tendency to censor what is offered in school libraries; and ongoing efforts to try and sneak prayer, display of the Ten Commandments, etc. into public schools. Our sheriff’s department patrol cars display “In God We Trust”.
I certainly don’t want to throw in my lot with the Bible thumpers, but cancel culture has people genuinely scared to publicly state drag queen story hour is inappropriate. Along with other things like overly explicit sex ed for little ones.
I just looked up the stripper from that meme, Bella Blue, and she's made her Instagram account private + recently announced she'll be deleting her Facebook fanpage. Wonder why! lol