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* Rock River Current…
A small library district in northern Illinois has become the latest battleground over drag queens.
Roughly 500 people filled the streets outside the Rockton Community Center in the northern Winnebago County village to demonstrate both against and in support of the Talcott Free Library’s plans to hold a drag queen question and answer session on July 14.
The library’s board of trustees ultimately voted 4-2 to go forward with the event after hearing from speakers on both sides of the issue. Board President Gary Kovanda and Vice President Bob Geddeis were the two no votes. […]
The drag queen Q&A was planned as part of the library’s teen summer program called Find Your Voice. At issue is whether a drag event is appropriate at a taxpayer-funded venue.
Originally listed as being for sixth to 12th graders, the event’s Facebook description was changed in the last week to say “LGBTQ+ friendly and anyone interested can attend.”
* Rockford Register Star…
The controversy started about a week ago when word spread about the event, called Drag Queen Q&A and billed as an opportunity for people to learn more about the art of drag. The library’s event page says “This program is LGBTQ+ friendly and anyone interested can attend.”
The Rockford Family Initiative, a group that regularly protests outside Rockford’s abortion clinics and also rallied against a drag queen story hour at the Rockford Public Library in recent years, objected to the event saying a publicly-funded library is not the right place. […]
Last week, the library posted the following on its Facebook page:
“Drag is a type of performance art. Drag performers make the act of expressing gender — through their stage name, clothing, makeup, hair, and how they perform on stage — highly creative, exaggerated, and/or theatrical. It does not have anything to do with sexual orientation or sexuality though it is often associated with the LGBTQIA+ community as that is where the art began. There are many common misconceptions about the art and that’s why the library is hosting a Q&A so that young people can ask questions and we can foster understanding and unity in our community.”
* WTVO…
“I just thought everyone should be represented. The silent majority. My friends and family were here, and I don’t think it’s right to have drag queens in a library,” said Brian Huff.
Community members both for and against the event gathered outside the Rockton Community Center, 302 W. Main Street, with signs, flags and megaphones.
“It’s about the drag community and making sure that they’re represented, they’re safe, they’re loved, and they have a community behind them,” said Jessica Green. […]
“Everyone is represented in the library,” said Green. “And so we want to let our librarians know that they are appreciated. There’s a community here that supports them and what they’re doing to be more inclusive. And we really appreciate their efforts. And you know, we’re creating a more inclusive Rockton, more inclusive community and a nation. And this is one step.”
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:39 am
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Never quite understood how they can say “silent majority” when they always seem anything but silent.
Comment by Homebody Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:44 am
They also can’t understand how they aren’t actually the majority.
Comment by Former Downstater Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:47 am
===“I just thought everyone should be represented. The silent majority. …”===
Speak for yourself. Please.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:51 am
Oh really so you have polling that says drag shows for teenagers in public libraries is supported by a majority anywhere?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:52 am
Kudos to the Rockton Library Trustees. Young children need to be liberated from the bias and prejudice that most of their parents have imparted upon them.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 9:54 am
===Oh really so you have polling===
There is a silent majority that feels…
Ok, now it’s your turn.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:01 am
=Oh really so you have polling that says drag shows for teenagers in public libraries is supported by a majority anywhere?=
Reading is a bit of a skill, no one said there was a majority supporting the drag *event (not show). The challenge was to the unsupported idea that the majority of people do not support the events.
Is that clear for you now?
Now, do you have any actual polling?
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:07 am
Rock on Rockton [banned punctuation]
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:22 am
It’s very important for LGBTQ+ to be normalized, just like any other human beings, and for children to learn acceptance. They are banned and marginalized right off the bat in other states, which feeds ignorance and bigotry. We don’t want to be a state that deliberately fosters hatred, like Florida.
As far as polling, see last elections, including school board races.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:30 am
==The silent majority.==
A majority so silent, it won’t even VOTE for the anti-drag candidates.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:34 am
I keep laughing at the MAGA mantra that they want their rights as parents to be respected. What they mean is that they want THEIR values to be imposed on other parents to the detriment of those parent’s rights.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:34 am
On the bright side, these drag events are distracting a certain segment of the population from constantly complaining about the ESL(English as a Second Language) courses at most libraries.
It’s also been a few years since I’ve heard the same segment complaining about the satanic Harry Potter events.
Maybe it’s time to create a new theory for them to attach onto - “If you read books backwards, they contain messages from the devil.”
Give them something to make themselves feel useful, but with zero harm to anyone else.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 10:36 am
=== demonstrate - against - the Talcott Free Library’s plans to hold a drag queen question and answer session ===
Why in the world would people demonstrate against a public forum to discuss a social issue? It is like DeSantis saying yesterday that if elected President, he would ignore and violate the 14th Amendment (birthright citizenship).
Drag Queens want to discuss drag in a civil setting. Free speech is at the core of democracy (and republics). If some cannot be civil, they should be ignored rather than recognized.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 11:04 am
You would be surprised who and where people dress in drag these days. I’ve got pictures of my 3 month old grandson dressed in a long ivory colored dress.
I was shocked, absolutely shocked that the catholic church would allow and encourage such “deviant” behavior as small children dressed in drag for such sacred rites as a christening. In church mind you, small children dressed in drag. /s
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 11:19 am
If the event offends you then don’t go. But I’m really sick and tired of this vocal minority thinking that they have a right to be the morality police for all of us. I really wish these people would keep their mouths shut.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 11:49 am
From the Wikipedia page “… Drag usually involves cross-dressing …”
How is it possible to determine when someone is dressed in drag?
Taking it to the extreme, could a female construction worker be accused of dressing in drag because she is wearing what could be considered traditional male garments, boots, jeans, tee shirt, gloves, and hardhat?
I have a niece who is a transgender female. Very pretty, but not my taste in women. If she goes to work in a nice skirt and blouse, is she dressed in drag?
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 12:50 pm
It’s a Q & A event. An opportunity to ask questions and perhaps dispel myths and stereotypes. Why would anyone be opposed to that? That’s a rhetorical question btw.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:05 pm
Drag queens can have adult venues but libraries are not one of them. And as a member of the silent majority I do not want their behavior normalized for children no matter what age
Comment by Just a Citizen Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:08 pm
“Why would anyone be opposed to that?”
Because someone has the audacity to speak to others about cross dressing while dressed in drag.
Accusations of grooming in 3 … 2 … 1 …
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:09 pm
===And as a member of the silent majority I do not want their behavior normalized for children no matter what age===
Library boards are elected, so the voters will decide, or have already.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:11 pm
===”And as a member of the silent majority”===
The term you’re looking for is “vocal minority”.
Comment by Scott Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:12 pm
“… I do not want their behavior normalized …”
Who is “they”? And what behavior is being “normalized”?
Are you opposed to people who identify themselves as females wearing traditional male attire, such as trousers or tee shirts? Are you opposed to men of Scottish descent wearing a kilt, which is actually a skirt and something that could be considered traditional female attire?
What is so objectionable about a drag show?
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:18 pm
=“… I do not want their behavior normalized …”=
Please don’t watch gladiator movies, you will be very upset.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:29 pm
=I do not want their behavior normalized for children no matter what age=
Certainly the Catholic Church is not an example of “behavior” for children to look up to, right?
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 1:49 pm
@ Just a Citizen
You wrote, “I do not want their behavior normalized for children no matter what age.”
Can I ask why? What would acceptance do that you find offensive? Also, why are you concerned about children? What do you think will happen? Serious questions here, with respect intended.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 2:16 pm
==And as a member of the silent majority==
I’ll repeat: a majority so silent it won’t even vote.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 2:18 pm
People do know that drag queen acts in bars or cabarets are different than the typical library story hour or Q&A, right?
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 2:19 pm
“drag queen acts in … typical library story hour or Q&A”
Gasp. A person dressed as a woman, with prosthetic appliances to change their physical appearance to that of a well endowed woman, wigs, makeup, frilly female clothing. Oh the horrors. I can’t bear it, I have the vapors, and must prostrate myself on my swooning couch. I’m over heated, please fan me … /s
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 2:34 pm
If Anon at 2:34 doesn’t get deleted, it was I.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 2:37 pm
I do not want the behavior of bigots normalized for children no matter what age. So there’s that.
Comment by MikeMacD Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 3:54 pm
And tomorrow, people are going to show up at the Oswego public library’s BOT to claim that “licentious” books like “A Church for All” “Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid becomes a Congresswoman” and “ABC Pride” violate their constitutional rights.
Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 4:48 pm
==Drag queens can have adult venues but libraries are not one of them.==
BTW…why not? I seriously cannot think of what what it is about a library that makes drag events unacceptable there.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 4:57 pm
===And as a member of the silent majority===
Dick Nixon has been dead a long time /s
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 27, 23 @ 5:00 pm