Motion #02
Recent weeks have seen rising hostile demonstrations against Drag Queen Story Time/Hour events across the UK, where drag queens read inclusive age-appropriate stories to children. This motion calls out those demonstrations and offers solidarity to those running these events.
Green solidarity with Drag Queen Story Time/Hour
Conference notes with sadness that this summer has seen multiple increasingly hostile demonstrations against Drag Queen Story Time/Hour events, often in the presence of young people, which aim to stop these events going forward.
Conference further notes:
Drag Queen Story Hour UK has been delivering joyful LGBTIQA+ inclusive and affirming children’s library events in the UK since 2019, alongside other similar organisations including Drag Queen Story Time, and that these events have become increasingly popular.
That there is a long history of the use of drag in family entertainment in the UK, particularly in panto, which is largely noncontroversial.
That research from GATE, the international organisation working on gender identity, gender expression and bodily diversity issues, shows “commonly found” overlaps “between anti-gender [anti-trans] movements and a) racist, anti-migrant, anti-Semitic, white nationalist &/or pro-imperialism groups b) male supremacist, misogynistic, &/or men’s rights groups”.
Conference believes:
That the use of drag by Drag Queen Story Hour UK and Drag Queen Story Time – including bright colours, glitter, extravagant outfits and wigs, and exaggerated characters and voices, excites and engages young audiences, and therefore opens their minds.
That many children unfortunately do not see their families represented in the stories told in traditional settings, including primary school, which can be an incredibly alienating and confusing experience.
That prejudice against others, including mainstream societal prejudice against the LGBTIQA+ community, is a learned behaviour, and that children are not naturally discriminatory.
That teaching children about the existence of families outside of the so-called “traditional nuclear family”, like those with two Mums, two Dads, or other arrangements is not, as some wrongly claim, age inappropriate, and that children are perfectly capable of understanding and engaging with these lessons safely.
That these events are successfully challenging the heteronormative stereotypes and biases children often encounter from a very young age, which is vital in creating a more inclusive future.
That the accusations that these events promote and protect paedophiles are unfounded and untrue, and based in the homophic trope that anything borne of LGBTIQA+ culture is inherently sexual, which is founded on the inappropriate defining of the community by sexual behaviour.
That the demonstrations include dangerous far-right and conspiracy theorist groups, as well as homophobic and transphobic groups, which have no business being supported or encouraged by anyone engaging in mainstream politics.
That these demonstrations are the unfortunate and inevitable consequence of the relentless manufactured culture war being fought against trans people by the media and many mainstream politicians.
That unlike these events, which present no risk to children, the increasingly loud and hostile demonstrations which appear at risk of breaking into violence represent a significant risk to the wellbeing and safety of children and families.
That though drag is not reserved to the LGBTIQA+ community, it is borne of the community and LGBTIQA+ culture and drag are inextricably linked.
That the safeguarding of children and young people must be held in the highest regard at all times, and that therefore all safeguarding measures including DBS checks must be applied universally and without regard to an individual’s sexuality or gender.
That calling for supervised drag children’s entertainers to be subject to enhanced DBS checks where other supervised children’s practitioners are not is holding them to a different standard, and undermines the integrity of vital safeguarding measures.
That this unfounded suspicion is driven by the significant overlap between drag and the LGBTIQA+ community, and is based in the false homophobic and transphobic belief that LGBTIQA+ people inherently represent a risk to children.
That the calls to single out supervised drag children’s entertainers as subject to enhanced DBS checks where other similar entertainers are not are therefore homophobic and transphobic.
That it is incumbent upon all Greens to stand against the rising tide of extremism, represented in these demonstrations and throughout the raging culture war and moral panic.
Conference therefore:
Rejects in the strongest terms possible the unfounded and untrue accusations made against Drag Queen Story Hour UK, Drag Queen Story Time, and similar organisations.
Calls on all those demonstrating against these events to immediately cease their dangerous, aggressive and unacceptable behaviour.
Calls on all Local Authorities, and councillors, to support these events where they are happening in their area, and to ensure demonstrations are not successful in stopping the events going ahead.
Calls for children, their families, and all practitioners to be protected at all times from the aggressive and hostile behaviour witnessed at these demonstrations.
Offers solidarity to Drag Queen Story Hour UK, Drag Queen Story Time, and similar organisations, and to the drag queens running them.
Conference requires and instructs the Green Party Co-Leaders and Green Party Deputy Leader to send a letter within 4 weeks of the passing of this motion to Drag Queen Story Time and Drag Queen Story Hour on behalf of the party thanking both of these organisations for their vital work in tackling stereotypes and ensuring children see different types of role models in stories presented to them.
Conference requires and instructs Green Party Regional Council to work with the Association of Green Councillors and LGBTIQA+ Greens to develop a model motion for councillors to be published on the Association of Green Councillors ‘Green Spaces’ page by the end of 2022 in support of Drag Queen Story Time and Drag Queen Story Hour events being held in local authority libraries.
Conference resolves to insert this motion into the Record of Policy Statements.