“Drag queen story hour,” which started as a small fringe phenomenon in San Francisco in 2015, is now sweeping the land. This is where parents bring their young children to a public library to be read to by a drag queen. The public libraries, of course, are happily welcoming these events.
In Minnesota’s Hennepin County Library system, these drag queen story hours (“DQSH”) now occur regularly. Already this fall, almost 20 DQSHs have occurred at Hennepin County Libraries.
On October 17, one such story hour was occurring in the Ridgedale Public Library, in Minnetonka. The drag queen who called himself “Sasha Sota” walked in with high heels, a pink skirt, and a shirt that exposed his midsection. Sitting in front of “Sasha Sota” was about 14 moms and over 20 young children.
According to Anne Taylor, a writer who attended the event, the drag queen “strode in suggestively past the children, sitting down in a chair before several preschool-aged girls with his legs spread wide, exposing his nylon-covered crotch in front of children sitting at eye level. We noticed that he did this often while reading nervously before the children.”
Photos from the event appear to show the man’s genitalia covered only by transparent nylons, though it is unclear whether or not he had something under the nylons.
The librarian overseeing the event then said “if anyone gets upset — even grownups — you can leave.” Later, the library released a statement that said in the future it would “realize the need for a performer dress code.”
Drag queen story hour is a problem…
First off, why hasn’t “Sasha Sota” been arrested? An adult male just repeatedly exposed his crotch to children. If “Bubba” did that, wearing a wolf t-shirt and a trucker hat, he’d be in jail. Men that dress up like women should receive no different treatment. Wasn’t this supposed to be about equality? And why isn’t Child Protective Services interviewing the parents involved? After all, these parents saw a grown man flash their children, and just sat there.
Second, local elected Republicans—in Minnesota and elsewhere—need to stamp DQSH out. Entirely. It isn’t just “Sasha Sota” who is problematic. A brief search of various DQSH performers reveals a consistent trend of both highly sexualized and ghoulish outfits. One “performer” pictured has about five white horns with red tips on his head. Many others have painted-up faces befitting “hellscape” Halloween decorations.
And don’t for one second think that DQSH will stop here. If left unattended to, DQSH will soon be in the public schools. Where are our elected representatives?
…but there’s more going on here
It’s also a mistake to think that this issue is confined to DQSH, and not see the big picture. Across the country, “child drag queens” are a growing phenomenon. One such child is “Desmond is Amazing”—an 11 year-old boy who has received glowing media attention, despite clear and convincing evidence that his parents are financial profiting from his exploitation. How on earth does an 11-year-old decide to be a drag queen without heavy adult manipulation?
These child drag queens do suggestive shows in front of adult men in bars, as the men sip their drinks and watch. Again, where is Child Protective Services?
Speaking of children being influenced by adults, you also have a growing trend of young children being given life-altering hormone blockers at an early age. The latest example of this is 7-year-old James Younger, which is only a public controversy because his father doesn’t want to give the 7-year-old hormone blockers. We don’t hear anything about the kids where the only parent or parents are all on board.
Nevermind the fact that the results are in, and early treatment of gender dysphoria, to the extent it even could exist in a young child, has a terrible track record. It’s unnecessary because most children grow out of their dysphoria, and it’s incredibly damaging because of the terrible and life-changing side effects that often ensue. Common adverse reactions include severe joint pain—like the type you experience when you are 80, but actually when these kids are in their early teens—and severe depression.
Part of the story is a growing “acceptance” of transgenderism, which is the left’s next crusade after gay rights. In of itself, the problem here is that there’s a big difference between homosexuality and transgenderism, and transgendered people often need psychological treatment. But the modern Trans movement denies them that help.
The transgender lifestyle, especially for biological men, often comes with heavy drug use and high-risk sexual behavior. The average life span of a transgendered person is about 30 years. The uncompassionate who are pretending to be compassionate say this shorter life span is because of the discrimination transgendered people face. If society was only more accepting, they say, Trans people would do better. Yet the lifestyle choices of transgendered people, who are deeply hurting and wounded due to many private reasons, say otherwise.
But there’s even more here than a growing acceptance of transgenderism. Ultimately, the far left is pushing the increased sexualization of American children. That’s the ultimate goal, and where it ends—if one knows pagan, pre-Christian history—is both unimaginable but yet all-too imaginable.
Fight this now
First, lawmakers should ban DQSH. If that isn’t easy to do, cut the funding of the public libraries who allow DQSH. Second, ban the use of hormone therapy or other chemical or surgical gender dysphoria treatments on children who are below the age of consent, which varies from state to state. Federally, Congress should ban the use of these methods below the age of 16, and put strict guidelines in place for the use of these methods below the age of 18. Next, lawmakers should ban all forms of child exploitation. That includes both the pageants that young girls are forced to endure and child “drag shows.”
Finally, lawmakers can do something to begin to address the problem of family fracture and fatherlessness, which is the root of all these woes.
Willis Krumholz
Willis L. Krumholz is a fellow at Defense Priorities. He holds a JD and MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, and works in the financial services industry. The views expressed are those of the author only. You can follow Willis on Twitter @WillKrumholz.
