The first time this editor reported on drag queens reading to kids at the library was way back in June 2017. The event, at which kids learned their drag queen names and more, was held at a public library in Edmonton. What this editor didn’t know at the time is that Drag Queen Story Hour was an international organization based out of San Francisco (where else?) and that this was going on in libraries across the country.
It wasn’t until 2022 or so that Drag Queen Story Hour became part of the culture wars, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez amplifying a call for people to help protect Drag Queen Story Hour from the “far-right” in New York City. The AP, which has gone totally progressive, reported last year that “attacks” on Drag Queen Story Hour were scaring children more than protecting them … according to the organizers of Drag Queen Story Hour.
There was a great tweet going around asking why these drag queens insist on reading to children and not, say, prison inmates. They could use a little color in their lives.
NBC News sadly reports that Montana, which recently “exiled” transgender legislator Zooey Zephyr, has become the first state to ban men in drag from reading to children at public schools and libraries.
Montana becomes the first state to ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries. https://t.co/tuWh8lOPpQ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 24, 2023
The Associated Press wrote the story, and it goes like this:
Montana’s law is unique because — while it defines such an event as one hosted by a drag king or drag queen who reads children’s books to minor children — it does not require a sexual element to be banned.
That makes Montana’s law the first to specifically ban drag reading events, said Sasha Buchert, an attorney with Lambda Legal, a national organization that seeks to protect the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community and those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.
“It’s just constitutionally suspect on all levels,” Buchert said Tuesday, arguing the bill limits free speech and seeks to chill an effort that helps transgender youth know they are not alone.
The bill, which was co-sponsored by more than half of the Republican-controlled legislature, took immediate effect after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed it on Monday.
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Yeah, what about men dressed as ridiculous caricatures of women that don’t contain a sexual element?
Good. Forty-nine states to go.
— JWF (@JammieWF) May 24, 2023
— Dee (@Deeisnotmyname7) May 24, 2023
— Brother Noah (@BrothaNoah) May 24, 2023
EXCELLENT!
— JohnnyLuke (@JohnnyLuke55) May 24, 2023
— Cyn (@Cyn_1005) May 24, 2023
Fantastic
— Floridabreeze🌴 (@FloridaBreezeFL) May 24, 2023
BASED.
— GH HILL (@GHHILL1911) May 24, 2023
Good! They can play "dress-up" with other adults.
— TX, yeah, Obey B! (He/Haw) (@GSCollins99) May 24, 2023
Yeah, maybe they’ll have to go back to performing for adults at nightclubs to pick up those tips.
Good! It’s wildly inappropriate to mix drag and children. Drag is for adults. I wouldn’t let a stripper read to my child. I hope this spreads to other states.
— Nancy the Neanderthal 🇺🇸 (@nan_mclellan) May 24, 2023
YES! Sanity still exists somewhere
— Exorcyzm (@Exorcyzm) May 24, 2023
This will lead to back-alley drag queen story hours.
— 🫃🏼💉🇺🇦Hollaria Briden, Esq. (@HollyBriden) May 24, 2023
Common sense and moral compass back to normal.
— Margarita Coch (@8Kair) May 24, 2023
We hope whoever picked up this story for NBC OUT is reading the replies because they’re all in favor of the ban.
Let’s send drag queens to the border to read to illegal immigrants to help improve their English fluency.
***
Related:
Gosh, how shocking.
One of those harmless Story Hour drag queens was just sentenced for 11 charges of child sexual abusehttps://t.co/WmIfwQVkd0
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 25, 2023
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