There were times long ago when I eagerly participated in events like Wigstock and danced on the tables at The Abbey in West Hollywood on Drag Queen night. (And yes, you get thrown out for that.) But as a mom, these things have admittedly faded from my list of life priorities. So I was excited to learn that now, at the New York Public Library, I can take my child to…Drag Queen Story Hour.
Wait, did I get that right?
Yes. Yes, I did.
It’s just what you think. Drag queens. Reading. To kids.
How fun is that?
Related: The fabulous new children’s book that teaches empathy while celebrating diversity
This is not just a gimmick; in fact, the idea is quite profound, which would account for its growing popularity as it expands from its original home in San Francisco.
Founder Michelle Tea wants to capture the imagination and playfulness of childhood, which includes plenty of dress-up, of course. They want to give kids a chance to interact with positive and unabashedly queer role models, as they put it. And, help promote literacy too. Which is just what performers like Panda Dulce (above), Honey Mahogany, and Black Benatar are doing.
I mean, if you were a kid, wouldn’t you be 10 times more excited to hear a story from someone in a wild costume, whether it’s Cinderella or Lil Miss Hot Mess?
Black Mahogany reading to kids in San Francisco. Photo: RADAR Productions
Now, obviously Drag Queen Story Hour is not for every family — which is probably why right now it’s just in San Francisco, LA, and New York, where we’re used to seeing all kinds of people on the street and in our lives every day.
As for me, I happen to love it.
The way I see it, drag queens can teach all our children to see outside the box, to color outside the lines, and to find comfort in learning to be him or herself. Whatever that means.
It’s actually really personal to me.
As a child, I was bullied. My sister was bullied. I saw friends be bullied. At last, bullying is finally being addressed on a grand scale with campaigns like the NOH8 Campaign and The Bully Project, to teach children and adults to be kind to one another, and I see the Drag Queen Story Hour as an extension of those initiatives.
Related: D is for Dress-Up: Not the alphabet book you’d think it is
People are different, and that’s one of the many things that makes us great.
To me, drag queens represent originality, creativity, acceptance, bravery, confidence, love. They’re the essence of fierce, fabulous, and fun. When I think of things I want for my daughter, these are so many of the same adjectives that come to mind.
That, and a really great reader.
Find out more about Drag Queen Story Hour if you’re in NY, SF, or LA, or learn how to organize your own!
All photos: RADAR productions for Drag Queen Story Hour
Please note that all hateful, ignorant, homophobic, or embarrassing (to you) comments will be joyously deleted
Because indoctrinating young kids is so cool. Shaking my head.
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We think that teaching kids about kindness, acceptance, diversity, empathy, creative play, and the love of reading IS pretty cool!
Thanks for your comment. – Eds
It really IS pretty cool, so long as it doesn’t mean forcing them to accept all differences, something different from understanding that there are differences and a variety of people share and appreciate profound differences. It’s amazing how much your children’s opinions can differ from yours. In our home, if you have reached a reasoned conclusion, then you’re entitled to your opinion and love does not demand agreement, just respect of another’s right to a different opinion.
Not a quick journey, but well worth the bumps and potholes in the road.
Keep up the good work.
What a fantastic way of looking at things. Sounds like you have a great family, B. Thanks for your comment.
These right-wing Republican creeps and religious nut-jobs have now found a new and velnerable group to vilify and attack…drag-queens ! Hysterical and rabid over harmless Storytime-hour and that includes scaring children into thinking drag-queens at these organized events in schools and libraries for teaching kids how to read is all about sexualizing children or grooming them into a life of perverted sin. Why do these conservative creeps never get upset at St. Patrick’s Day parades,when drunken and rowdy revelers come out with green hair, faces all painted up and big red booze noses ? Because they are not gay and therefore, harmless and acceptable. What’s the diffence here…except the drag-queens are sober ? Most sane people today equate that rabid and brainless paranoia with evil religious nuts. Anita Bryant comes to mind in 1977 with her “Save Our Children” anti-gay campaign.It tried to scare people into believing that male homosexual teachers in Miami were out to recruit their students, turn them gay and molest them along the way and have them all flushed-out and fired ! ?That was 46 years ago, come on people,we are so much better than that in 2023,wake-up !?️?
[I, Stuart Hurdis, had my comment removed because it not only attacked another reader, it was bigoted, cruel, and full of misinformation. In fact it was so shockingly bad, I’d probably be in trouble if my employers in Australia found out that I was behaving like an internet troll during work hours, so the editors here have done me the kindness of taking it down. Hopefully I will learn from this experience that there are more constructive ways to share my opinion in the future, even when I disagree with someone.]