Letter: Drag Story Hour Outrage Off-Track

Last week, a letter was published condemning the Laguna Beach Art Museum’s event of Drag Queen Story Hour. I’ve never been to any drag queen performance, so I checked out YouTube to see drag queens reading “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish.” Then I found a sing-along to “If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It.” The writer mentions the “sexualization” of young children, but that is an incorrect use of the word for these events. Sexualization is a person’s value only coming from their sexual appeal. In children, it is placing adult attributes on a child’s body. That is not what happens at story hour. (Check the videos.) Perhaps the writer meant gender identity? She does write, “Should kids be forced to question whether they are a boy or a girl at an age where they should be learning their colors. . .” Kids see every day the “right” way to act as a boy or a girl.

Society has a hand in it whether or not parents do. (Exhibit A: Speaking of colors, when was the last time the toddler clothing rack offered a pink outfit for boys?) I’d offer that some parents like the idea of letting kids see there are many ways to look and act and dress up, whether you are a boy or a girl. Seeing a drag queen read a book doesn’t force children to question their gender identity. The writer was also alarmed at kids “shaking their bum.” Hokey-Pokey, anyone?

The writer wants our community to rally. The museum event is sold out. Are we supposed to rally and tell the parents and caregivers attending that they are wrong and don’t know how to parent? Drag performances don’t appeal to everyone, for sure. But there are many more important things we should do to protect and nurture our children than be outraged by a story hour. 

Diane Harrison, Laguna Beach