The Drag Queen Story Time Controversy

[Stanyon]

The purpose of drag is not to degrade women or perpetuate stereotypes about them, it is to mock gender norms. It is satire. Drag has a completely different historical and cultural context than blackface. To equate them is absurd.

In Japan it was traditional that men played the role of women in theatre since they were banned from performing.

 

[Left Coast]

In Japan it was traditional that men played the role of women in theatre since they were banned from performing.

Yes, I believe the same was true in medieval/early modern Europe.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

In Japan it was traditional that men played the role of women in theatre since they were banned from performing.

Thats the way it often was for actors (such as Shakespeares plays, featuring young boys cast for the female parts - it was no different in China). We thespians traditionally arent viewed as having an honorable or decent craft, except to those who arent ashamed of the flesh.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Drag is a misogynistic caricaturization of women, it parodies women as *****y and is characterized by over the top stereotypical presentations as to what men think a woman is. Not only that but it is sexualized entertainment.

There's drag kings, too, you know. Not all drag queens are men, even. There's cis woman drag queens and trans woman drag queens. The whole spectrum of femininity and masculinity is portrayed in drag, so that's a very narrow perspective.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

"Once upon a time, at a public library in San Francisco, a drag queen arrived at story time and read to the children she met there.

The children — no strangers to playing make believe — had fun, and soon the idea of drag queens hosting story time spread to New York.

It was an unconventional idea, both for the normally staid libraries and the drag queens, many of whom were more accustomed to hosting night-life events than M.C.-ing daytime singalongs.

But it quickly caught on.

Today, four years after that first event, drag performers regularly entertain children at libraries and community centers in progressive enclaves like New York and Los Angeles as well as red-state towns like Juneau, Alaska, and Lincoln, Neb.

But as the popularity of drag queen story time has grown, so has the backlash. It has emerged in liberal bastions like Brooklyn and more conservative towns like Cookeville, Tenn., with critics objecting to both the performers and the books they read, which include classic fairy tales and modern parables about inclusion, like “Julián Is a Mermaid” by Jessica Love and “Neither” by Airlie Anderson."
source

So, your opinion.

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Good
Bad
OR . . ?

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It's totally fine. Drag queens can be some of the sweetest people around. Plus, whatever can be done to encourage reading and inclusiveness among children is a win/win in my book.

 

[SugarOcean]

There are cisgender straight males who do drag and they too perpetuate misogynistic stereotypes of women. So we can't lay this at the feet of LGBT

Unless we can prove the drag males in these story time events are straights, sure we can. That's the topic.
Besides, a straight male who works as a drag performer would hardly be compelled to perform for little children. While the LGBTQ community parade down city and town streets so as to proudly strut before children, adults, families.

No, because blackface has a well-known racist history. The purpose of drag is not to degrade women or perpetuate stereotypes about them, it is to mock gender norms. It is satire. Drag has a completely different historical and cultural context than blackface. To equate them is absurd.

What about white face? Is that racist?

 

[Left Coast]

Unless we can prove the drag males in these story time events are straights, sure we can. That's the topic.
Besides, a straight male who works as a drag performer would hardly be compelled to perform for little children.

Do you spend a lot of time getting to know drag performers?

While the LGBTQ community parade down city and town streets so as to proudly strut before children, adults, families.

And why shouldn't they? There's nothing shameful about being LGBTQ.

What about white face? Is that racist?

Certainly seems like it, unless it's a way of showing the obvious racism of blackface.

 

[Twilight Hue]

No, because blackface has a well-known racist history. The purpose of drag is not to degrade women or perpetuate stereotypes about them, it is to mock gender norms. It is satire. Drag has a completely different historical and cultural context than blackface. To equate them is absurd.

The most famous blackface is Al Jolson. He was far from being racist and did a lot to help black Americans during that time where real segregation and racism existed.

Black actors were not allowed on stage, so Al Jolson used blackface and portrayed a lot of the hardships black people faced during his performances.

Younger people wouldn't understand this but a lot of older people do. Including friends of mine who are of color who have that opinion. The consensus is that it served a purpose and Al Jolson helped, but it's not appropriate for todays Society.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Unless we can prove the drag males in these story time events are straights, sure we can. That's the topic.

Drag performers often are heterosexual/attracted to women. We can assume at least a few, if not more, who are participating in the program are hterosexual, largely because drag isnt about sex and often really not even about gender identity, but straight men who enjoy performing an act.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's totally fine. Drag queens can be some of the sweetest people around. Plus, whatever can be done to encourage reading and inclusiveness among children is a win/win in my book.

I have wondered how people who react negatively to drag would react to other performances that rely on being over-the-top. Pro-wrestling, for example, is all about being over the top and playing up characters that often are logically absurd, but its a performance art and not real life so it works.

 

[Twilight Hue]

In Japan it was traditional that men played the role of women in theatre since they were banned from performing.

Yep. Same as many blackface performers.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I have wondered how people who react negatively to drag would react to other performances that rely on being over-the-top. Pro-wrestling, for example, is all about being over the top and playing up characters that often are logically absurd, but its a performance art and not real life so it works.

I'm straight but I love drag queens.

My favorite is Morgan McMichaels, and of course , who doesn't love Trixie Mattel. *Grin*

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Black actors were not allowed on stage

They weren't? You mean people like Paul Robson, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and hundreds of others weren't allowed on stage? I await your evidence of this.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

I have wondered how people who react negatively to drag would react to other performances that rely on being over-the-top. Pro-wrestling, for example, is all about being over the top and playing up characters that often are logically absurd, but its a performance art and not real life so it works.

There are lots of racial, ethnic and cultural stereotypes involved in pro-wrestling.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

drag isnt about sex and often really not even about gender identity, but straight men who enjoy performing an act.

Like this guy:

 

[Twilight Hue]

They weren't? You mean people like Paul Robson, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and hundreds of others weren't allowed on stage? I await your evidence of this.

It had to do with particular venues, especially during segregation were black people were not allowed to perform in white theaters.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

There are lots of racial, ethnic and cultural stereotypes involved in pro-wrestling.

And? If entertainment were supposed to be realistic it would get really boring, really quick. And its the same deal with the vast majority of fans being aware its just a show.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

They weren't? You mean people like Paul Robson, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and hundreds of others weren't allowed on stage? I await your evidence of this.

In many places they weren't. And where they were allowed, often times these places were owned by criminals and/or subject to police raids. Even for Louis Armstrong and BB King life was not a cake walk, and that was what they had to deal with as aspiring and rising black artists. Because racial integration was illegal in many places.

 

[Stanyon]

It's totally fine. Drag queens can be some of the sweetest people around. Plus, whatever can be done to encourage reading and inclusiveness among children is a win/win in my book.

They can also be terrible people, no better or no worse than anyone else.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

And? If entertainment were supposed to be realistic it would get really boring, really quick. And its the same deal with the vast majority of fans being aware its just a show.

It is wrong because it reinforces stereotypes, stereotypes are bad because they are by nature a form of prejudice and bigotry