Community
Massachusetts group trying to put a stop to Fall River’s Drag Queen Storytime
A Massachusetts group is trying to put a stop to the Drag Queen Storytime taking place this Saturday at the Fall River Public Library.
The group, Massachusetts Family Institute, issued the following statement on social media:
“Drag Queen Story Hour is happening more and more in Massachusetts. This kind of pornographic lifestyle and gender confusion should not be normalized in a publicly funded library in front of small children! This drag queen is coming to the Fall River Public Library this Saturday, June 1st at 11am. https://www.instagram.com/naomi_chomsky/ Thousands of concerned MA residents should call the library to have this event CANCELLED! Let’s start a movement in MA to cancel all of these events for the sake of the innocence of young minds! Call Library Administrator Liane at (508) 324-2700 ext 5 Call Mayor Correia at (508) 324-2600 as well! Read article about event here https://tapit.us/oqzfh TEXT the word education to the number 797979 to understand more about what is being taught to young people in our public school sex education curricula.”
According to their website, Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) is dedicated to strengthening the family and affirming the Judeo-Christian values upon which it is based. MFI considers themselves a non-partisan public policy organization dedicated to strengthening families in Massachusetts. MFI engages in research and education on a wide range of public policy issues to strengthen the well-being, health and safety of families – its individual members and the collective unit.
The event is taking place Saturday, June 1, 2019 at the Fall River Public Library
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Story Time (2 Book Readings)
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Craft & Photo Time
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Cole
May 29, 2019 at 6:26 pm
I don’t understand what a drag queen reading a story to a child….has anything to do with anything sexual??!!! If I showed up as a woman in a ball gown and gloves and read a story to some children it wouldn’t be sexual. I don’t see what the problem is.
Tomi
May 29, 2019 at 7:58 pm
These so called Christians need to mind their own business. If they dont like it dont go. Not everyone is raising their children to hate those unlike themselves diversity is the spice of life. There is nothing sexual about a story being read. These religious bigots need to get over themselves
Rev Maureen Gill Ausbrook
May 30, 2019 at 7:52 am
This is just another group of hateful, willfully ignorant people using their twisted version of faith to justify their paranoia and bigotry. And here are some important facts about Drag Story Hour and the real impact on children:
The Maine the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey found that 1.5% of high school kids in Maine alone (and we’re a very small state in population) identify as Transgender and 15% identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or are unsure. Further, this survey indicates that 22% of LGBT youth have experienced offensive comments and/or physical assault at school or elsewhere because of their gender presentation (such as being seen as too masculine or too feminine). Youth 12 to 14 years old who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender are much more likely to die by suicide than their heterosexual peers, and suicide among younger children is tragically on the rise.
And this is important to understand: Studies show suicide is not caused because of a child’s LGBT identify, but rather by how the child’s community reacts to that identity. LGBTQ+ youth who have supportive families enjoy healthier self-esteem and overall better health, and their risk of suicide is therefore lower. Events like the Drag Story Hour create a vital space for families and friends to provide that support.
But it doesn’t end there: Events like Drag Story Hour also advance understanding and tolerance among ALL children and decrease bullying and hate in schools and the wider community. How is that not a very good thing? OF COURSE IT IS A VERY GOOD THING!
Further, while such an event may not be what every parent would want their children to attend, and that should be respected, the point is that there are parents who understand the benefits to all our children if they do attend such an event. Everyone should be mindful of that.
These events are not compulsory; they are well advertised in advance and if a family doesn’t believe in the efficacy of such events, so be it — but others do and the families who oppose these events have a very real, legitimate option: DO NOT ATTEND. They have NO right, however, to disrupt these events and disseminate falsehoods about them or smear those who do attend.
Dani
May 30, 2019 at 10:43 am
You forgot to say that this group has been classified as an official Hate Group by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Michelle
May 30, 2019 at 10:49 am
Men dressing as women for theatrical purposes goes back to Shakespearean times when women were not permitted to perform. If people are offended by this then just don’t bring your children. In the meantime, maybe just grow up and mind your own business and raising your children to be closed minded, self righteous, ignorant people ?♀️
ninguem
May 30, 2019 at 12:19 pm
It’s Fall River.
Get the Portuguese Kids.
They do Portuguese drag all the time.
Get vavoa to read at the library.
Nick
May 30, 2019 at 4:48 pm
This article seems like it has a bit of an agenda if you ask me. Maybe someone’s a little biased on this issue. What does the library have to say?
fallriverreporter
May 30, 2019 at 6:35 pm
No agenda. The library has received calls with complaints, but last we knew they plan on continuing the event as scheduled.
Kirsten
May 30, 2019 at 1:53 pm
As appalling as this group of “Christians” is is the reporter’s seeming plug for them and for their values. Balanced reporting would have had the reporter not only research the group (not restate its claims about its own values), but also would have this writer include another viewpoint. Research the VALUE of the reading. Look into the importance of children seeing humanity represented and included, in all its marvelous forms. Using the quote that refers to a “pornographic” lifestyle without challenging the veracity of such words is irresponsible at the least. The Fall River Herald editorial board ought to engage in a little review and perhaps some journalism courses for its staff members.