Anti-gay activists target children’s libraries and drag queen story hours

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A drag story time event in a Calgary at the end of February ended abruptly as protesters stormed the library where it was being held.

Families had gathered inside the Seton library in the southwest part of the city on the last Saturday of the month for an event called Reading with Royalty, during which a drag performer reads stories about acceptance and inclusion. Kids were encouraged to dress up in capes and crowns.

As the event was under way, protesters entered the room, shouting homophobic and transphobic slurs. Police were called, and charged the leader of the protest with what they are calling a hate-motivated crime.

Following the charges, and fearing that it could not ensure the safety of those in attendance, the Calgary Public Library decided to cancel the drag story time event planned for last Saturday.

“It was not a protest. It was really an organized, targeted and really intimidating disruption of the program, and there were small children and families present,” says Sarah Meilleur, CEO of the Calgary Public Library. “And so at this point we wanted to make sure that this program, which is intended to be fun and inclusive, and a celebration of diversity, could proceed in a in a safe way.”

Libraries across Canada have held drag story time events for several years, most of them without incident. But with anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans sentiment on the rise, especially in the U.S., where Tennessee recently banned drag shows in public spaces and anti-drag bills have been introduced in at least 14 other states, protests at libraries are becoming increasingly common. Despite these protests, libraries say they will continue to host drag story time events.

“It’s part of our mission to promote inclusion. And for us, the goal for something like a drag queen story time does just that. It models inclusiveness, kindness, acceptance, and it promotes a love of reading, which is mandate number one for everyone,” says Samantha Wink, a spokesperson for the Coquitlam Public Library.

In January, when police escorted drag queen Connie Smudge into the library for its second drag story time event – its first was held last year – a group of approximately 10 protesters stood outside holding signs that read “Stop Drag Queen Story Hour” and “Sexualizing Children is Child Abuse.”

A group of about 100 counter protesters were also in attendance to support the event.

“As much as seeing these protests is stressful, and it’s sad to see that people have these misconceptions about them, it’s really wonderful to see those counter protests,” Ms. Wink says.

Felicia Bonée, an Edmonton-based drag performer who began doing story time events in Alberta in 2018, was reading to children at the Edmonton Public Library last August as part of its Over the Rainbow Storytime series when a small group of protesters gathered outside to voice their opposition.

“They were trying to raise their signs and yell towards kids and stuff. And people were trying to push through from the counter protesters. At that point I just started getting everyone to clap to distract the kids and not realize that there’s angry people behind them yelling.”

The Edmonton Public library held its first drag story time event in 2017 to celebrate Pride, says Elaine Jones, manager of youth services.

“We tend to focus on books that celebrate diversity and inclusion – or, you know, freedom of expression, or tolerance or acceptance,” she says.

Of the five Over the Rainbow Storytime events the library held last year, the one featuring Ms. Bonée was the only one to attract protesters, Ms. Jones says, adding that the library will likely host another event this June, and perhaps more later in the year.

“The families that come love it,” Ms. Jones says. “We want there to be representation for the whole spectrum of our community. We want people to feel welcome in our spaces.”

Barbada De Barbades, a Montreal-based drag performer, has done “dozens and dozens” of story time events at libraries, kindergartens and community centres since 2016, she says.

There had never been any problems with her events until last summer, when the borough of Saint-Laurent cancelled a reading Ms. De Barbades had scheduled at a local library.

Alan DeSousa, the mayor of the borough, said at the time that he and other elected officials were “mainly concerned about the subjects that will be discussed.”

After Ms. De Barbades met with borough officials later that summer, the event went ahead in November.

Ms. De Barbades read a story about a crocodile who is afraid of water and doesn’t understand why he hates the cold while all the other crocodiles love it, only to realize he is a dragon.

It’s one of Ms. De Barbades’ favourites.

After she reads the story, she’ll explains to them the deeper message: “It might happen in your life that you feel different, that you feel that everyone else is doing something and you don’t like that specific thing. But after a while you’re going to understand why you’re different [and] that it’s perfectly okay to be different.”

Ms. Meilleur says the Calgary Public Library will continue to hold drag story time events once it is safe to do so.

“It speaks to being seen and a sense of belonging. And everyone has a right to that,” she says.