It's fairly clear at this point that it's not drag queens that are the issue, it's men exuding feminine traits, and the small -minded are equating that to sexualization.
I mean let's be real - there are performers who dress up colorfully, wear face makeup, and entertain children. And no one seems to have a problem with it. These entertainers are called professional clowns, and they come in all shapes and sizes (whiteface, tramp, mime, Auguste, and hey - even rodeo clowns!)
And they perform and engage with their audiences at all sorts of events that include children. It's actually a very storied and very art-forward profession that had been integral in entertaining children for decades.
So if a traditional clown read a book to a group of children, would it be a problem?
No.
It's when the feminization of men and or a performer's character is when it becomes a problem for some, which IMO says more about their weaknesses and character gaffs in a progressive society than anyone else. Conservatism has a severe problem of championing personal rights and freedoms but loves getting involved if they become personally uncomfortable.
As Dave Brockie said about how to stop the Gwar revolution - "don't go to our concerts".
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As Dave Brockie said about how to stop the Gwar revolution - "don't go to our concerts".
My brush with fame, meeting Brockie before a show and having a chat. He enjoyed crowd watching sans costume and being a nobody. I asked him if he finally broke 80, and he says "you read my ####ing blog?!" Asked if had any requests that night, they played Whargoul per my choice and he made sure I got soaked during the song.
Ahhh good times, good times.
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I'm assuming that's GS's take on tongue in cheek sarcasm- no one takes the affirmative action bigotry cut anymore.
Is the act of performing drag it self a sexual orientation? No I don't think anyone can argue it is. However, it is the way some people with gender identity confusion choose to express that element of their personalities. So it has come to represent the public thrust of the trans community.
Is being trans a sexual orientation? I think this is a valid question. IMO it isn't; it is more to do with your gender identity and then you have a sexual orientation or preference on top of it. I.e. the one trans person I've known for a decade went from M to F, but was always sexually interested in females and remains so. I think their preference has changed slightly to more androgynous females, but still those presenting as female.
However, gender is a protected category. So this is academic. You can't discriminate someone based on gender. If your argument is that you don't want to expose your children to a person with an uncertain gender then I think it's a bad argument.
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For example, when I was about 12 or 13 I had a friend whose favorite movie was Rocky Horror Picture Show. They wanted me to watch it with them, but when their parents asked my parents if it was okay my parents said no, as they did not believe it to be age-appropriate.
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Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
So if a traditional clown read a book to a group of children, would it be a problem?
Obviously, the real danger is Tim Curry.
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Not participating in Drag Queen Story Hours is not teaching someone to be pro-discrimination or pro-bigotry, its simply choosing not to participate; for any number of reasons, including age-appropriateness.
For example, when I was about 12 or 13 I had a friend whose favorite movie was Rocky Horror Picture Show. They wanted me to watch it with them, but when their parents asked my parents if it was okay my parents said no, as they did not believe it to be age-appropriate.
Their parents deemed that it was okay for their kids to watch it, and mine did not. There was no discrimination of accusations of bigotry or harming people in that decision, it was simply live and let live. As a kid I was upset about, but looking back I don't see it being a problem. I quickly forgot about it and watched it later in life and enjoyed the movie.
Not seeing it as a kid certainly didn't teach me its okay to be a bigot, I think thats a huuuge leap of logic that doesn't bear out.
I can concede the point that it isn't a sexual orientation on the basis of semantics. Yes there are cis gender performers, but for the vast majority they are part of the LGBT community, which is where the opposition comes from. As mentioned by other posters, I don't think they would require an opt-out option for a clown performer, or if it was someone in a suit reading the book. The bias against it is based on ignorance and prejudice.
Next, you are trying to compare an adult movie (Rated R) with very adult themes (rape, abuse, murder, cannibalism, the time warp) to a children's story time. The only comparison is based on men dressing in traditionally women's clothing. I bet your parents also would have felt that American Psycho was not appropriate even though they all wear nice suits with nicer business cards.
What about Mrs. Doubtfire? This is a much closer comparison to what is going on. Better protect the kids from Mulan or they might think girls dressing as boys is ok.
I don't think that the exclusion is a huge jump in logic at all. You are saying, these people dress different so therefore you should avoid them. That is showing prejudice against a person because they belong to a certain group... and you can guess what that is a definition of.
Going back to the posted article, if you didn't know that Gila Munster was a Drag Queen and thought they were a straight woman.. would you have a issue with how they are dressed or them reading a story? Would it be age appropriate if it was a she reading the exact same story about inclusiveness?
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When I was a young child in the 1980s, my little sister and I used to watch Dame Edna on television with my parents all the time. There was absolutely nothing innately sexual about male comedian Barry Humphries wearing flamboyant women's clothing and garish makeup for his act, and watching the show certainly didn't turn me gay.
How is beloved drag performer Dame Edna any different at all from today's drag queens reading stories in libraries to children? The only people who are making this a sexual thing are the bigots on the far right who want to turn even the most harmless forms of family-friendly entertainment into part of the culture war.
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When I was a young child in the 1980s, my little sister and I used to watch Dame Edna on television with my parents all the time. There was absolutely nothing innately sexual about male comedian Barry Humphries wearing flamboyant women's clothing and garish makeup for his act, and watching the show certainly didn't turn me gay.
How is beloved drag performer Dame Edna any different at all from today's drag queens reading stories in libraries to children? The only people who are making this a sexual thing are the bigots on the far right who want to turn even the most harmless forms of family-friendly entertainment into part of the culture war.
This may be true, but King Chuck there seems to really be loving it so you just know there has to be an evil and dark underbelly...
Nothing that man likes can be good.
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Have you taken your kids to one of these book readings? How old were your kids when you did? Did you find it to be “age appropriate “?
I haven’t, but am genuinely curious.
I have, at both 4 and 7 years of age. totally age appropriate as it was a book reading and not an adult drag show.
This stuff is easy if you explain things to your kinds instead of hiding them from it.
There are lots of age appropriate books that parents can read with their younger kids that let them understand some people like others of the same sex, and some people express themselves by dressing up as fabulous ladies.
amazing how easy this stuff is if you're teaching them to love and accept instead of fear and hate.
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That's the other part that gets me: the fact that Billy has two mommies or two daddies isn't sexual, it's a part of life, but there's this weird fixation with even admitting that.
Dehumanization is always the point with these people.
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What is a "real bigot"? Why is someone who excludes a Muslim a real bigot and someone who excludes a Drag queen not a real bigot?
Marginalizing others is being a bigot, and hiding behind religion doesn't change that. Many Muslims believe that girls shouldn't be educated at all, let alone teach. Should we allow students to opt out of classes taught by a female?
Would you not be upset if we had a story time with women wearing traditional Muslim clothes (say a burka) and students were told they didn't have to listen or accept them because of the way they are dressed?
"I'm Christian, I don't want my kids to hear stories from someone wearing that, its against my beliefs."
Would you consider that Christian Religious Freedom or Christian Bigotry?
When I was a young child in the 1980s, my little sister and I used to watch Dame Edna on television with my parents all the time. There was absolutely nothing innately sexual about male comedian Barry Humphries wearing flamboyant women's clothing and garish makeup for his act, and watching the show certainly didn't turn me gay.
How is beloved drag performer Dame Edna any different at all from today's drag queens reading stories in libraries to children? The only people who are making this a sexual thing are the bigots on the far right who want to turn even the most harmless forms of family-friendly entertainment into part of the culture war.
Prime time from the 1960's onwards on UK TV Danny LaRue, British TV always had shed loads of flamingly camp or drag stars from the 50's, I always thought it was weird in N America when Will and Grace was supposedly grounbreaking
