Monday, June 10, 2019

Drag Queen Story Hour Leaves 'Kids In The Cold,' Is Just 'Cute and Fun and Trendy,' Says School Librarian Ingrid Conley-Abrams

Drag Queen Story Hour in public libraries leaves "kids in the cold" and is just "cute and fun and trendy" for libraries that otherwise could not care less about "queer kids and families."  So says "Bi-Furious" social justice warrior and New York City school librarian "Magpie Librarian" Ingrid Conley-Abrams, pictured at right (photo source).

Knowing who she is politically is important since even someone like her thinks drag queens reading to kids in libraries may be inappropriate.  She's just honest enough to admit it publicly.  That said, in the past she has been dishonest about me so she could defend homophobia by American Library Association that persists to this day, but I agree with her about how ALA is using the LGBT community since that's consistent with how ALA uses the same community to promote its annual "Banned Books Week" hoax.

For those not in the know, DQSH is where drag queens read to children in public libraries due to American Library Association political activity unrelated to libraries.

Here is the first in a string of tweets from Ingrid Abrams, followed by the entire string in text:


I've been thinking a lot about Drag Queen storytime+my concerns about next steps, or steps before DQST. Basically, if the only non-gender conforming rep you have at your school/library are drag queens, what message are your students getting about gender?

Gender identity and presentation are multi-faceted and complex, and I'm concerned that students/patrons are getting the message that the only way to be gender non-conforming is to spend 3 hours on your makeup+hundreds of dollars on a dress.

Certainly better representation than NO representation, which is what kids get anyway, but it leaves a lot of other kids in the cold.

If a person performs drag, it doesn't dictate their sexual orientation or gender identity. Performers may gay or bi or straight or cis or trans. Are kids getting that message? Are they getting other kinds of non-binary/gender non-conforming representation?

Are these patrons/students getting support outside of DQSH? Non gendered bathrooms? When they sign up a library card, are they asked if they are male or female, or is the sign up more inclusive?

Is the library/school welcoming to queer kids and families with queer members? Or are we just hosting Drag Queens for an hour a month because it's cute and fun and trendy and then calling it a day?

Are queer people at your library only welcome for an hour a month and only if they're super visually appealing and entertaining? Are queer ppl only welcome to be gawked at? Can queer ppl exist at yr library outside of DQSH?

This being said, I love drag performance, I love that drag performers care about kids and care about libraries and are reaching out to kids who deeply need the representation.

End of conversation
Lastly, for bringing this to my attention, hat tip to "Underground Educator," one of a number of whistleblowers who oppose how ALA harms communities, including "Activist Mommy - Elizabeth Johnston":


By the way, I ask if little kids should be giving money to drag queens dancing in public libraries:

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URL of this page: 
safelibraries.blogspot.com/2019/06/dqsh-leaves-kids-in-the-cold.html

On Twitter: 
@ALALibrary @MagpieLibrarian

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