Drag Story Hour continues taxpayer-funded programming in NYC schools, libraries

Drag Queen Story Hour is back in New York City schools and libraries as though it never left— because it hasn't. After outrage from parents who didn't feel that their children needed to be read to about pronouns and non-binary toddlers by men and women costumed as the opposite sex, the City of New York continued funding, and expanding, Drag Queen Story Hour programs.

Drag Queens funded with taxpayer dollars dress up and read to children in libraries, schools, parks and green spaces all over town and in every borough. Drag Queen Story hour is funded by New York City Councilmembers, who are able to use their discretionary funding to pay for the drag queens and kings to come read to children, and help them put on drag queen makeup.

Among those councilmembers who fund this are Keith Powers, Jimmy Van Bramer and Daniel Dromm.

Drag Story Hour NYC routinely shares images of drag queens reading to students, whether in schools, libraries or elsewhere. They shared images of students at Queens middle school IS 93, where Bella Noche spoke to children.

The post said that Noche was discussing the children's book Melissa, by Alex Gino, with the students. The book is about a boy who wants to be a girl, and so really is a girl. "When people look at George, they see a boy. But George knows she's a girl," the description reads.

Middle-schoolers gathered around to hear Bella Noche read to them while dressed as a woman.

When asked about the continuation of the programming, Tony Kinnett said "The key question is always 'why.' Why does there need to be a special hour for men dressed sexually—to read for kids? Why are children given the responsibility of validating grown men in dresses?"

For Daniel Buck, the answer as to why is simple and sarcastic, "Because representation duh, you bigot. If young children don't see men dressed as strippers, then they'll grow up to be white nationalists."

Indeed, many of these programs stress the courage and bravery of those who dress in these cross-sex costumes to read to children, as though there is something heroic about doing so.

"I am especially proud to support Drag Queens Story Hour, a wonderfully imaginative and inclusive program for kids that encourages acceptance and a love of reading," Van Bramer said when asked about the use of funding. "Drag Queen Story Hour provides all kids with a space to be themselves and to see queer role models—something I desperately needed as a kid."

James Linsday said that "The story isn't that they do it, it's that you can't get them to stop doing it."

Additional posts on the Instagram page show Professor Lionel Longlegs, wearing garish makeup, reading a book for "neurodiverse kids."

While still others show images of drag queens, or in this case drag king Oliver H, who "showed high schoolers of all genders how to do drag kind makeup." It would be hard to imagine that the city, or a city councilman, would fund a supermodel coming into high schools to show kids how to do their makeup.

"Validating feelings and assuaging emotional dissonance is a responsibility a lot of these weirdos put on kids," said James Lindsay. "They have no clue that the kids aren't their personal little validation machines."

Other drag queens are brought in to read to elementary schoolers, such as the one hosted at PS 154.

According to Drag Queen Story Hour, these kinds of events are happening at schools all around the city, with LGBTQ+ content being provided to children.

Programming is served in libraries, as well.

"There's the assumption," Chalkboard Review told The Post Millennial, that kids are sexual beings who benefit from seeing someone whose identity presumably resonates with theirs. It's the whole see it to be it thing."

Drag Story Hour says that they "teach kids about gender diversity and difference in all of its wonderful forms, building empathy, and giving kids the confidence to express themselves."

"We pop up in libraries, schools, museums and community spaces across all five boroughs of New York City and even here with you virtually. Empathy is built through experience. And no experience is quite like this.

"So take an hour, grab someone you love and join us. Drag Queen Story Hour NYC, opening hearts and minds one story at a time."

"It is drummed incessantly into the head of every new teacher: You should always 'know the 'why'' behind anything you do in the classroom, and make sure it's understood by students," said Robert Pondiscio.  "The 'why' behind drag queen story hour has never been made clear to me."

Indeed, Drag Queen Story Hour seems less about children and learning, and more about justifying drag queen culture and lifestyles to children.