Hosting a “drag queen story hour” could cost Minnesota libraries if a group of Republican lawmakers gets its way.
“Drag queen story hour” is an event in several public libraries throughout the United States where men dressed in drag perform while reading stories to children. The events have been controversial as some oppose taxpayer funding for the readings, which they view as inappropriate for children.
Minnesota Rep. Eric Lucero agreed and thus introduced a bill on Monday that would cut 100% of the funds to public libraries that allow “drag queen story hours.”
The bill was not popular among some Democrats in Minnesota. Erin Maye Quade, a former representative and current advocacy director at Gender Justice, tweeted, “Today in WTF #mnleg bill introductions: public libraries that host story hours that include drag queens get FULLY DEFUNDED.”
She continued, “Like, what was the process to get this bill?? ‘Hey, Revisors Office (full of serious, non-partisan, lawyers and staff). I hear people are reading BOOKS to KIDS in LIBRARIES! Draft me a bill that will defund public libraries if they continue this ‘story-hour’ nonsense.’”
Like, what was the process to get this bill?? “Hey, Revisors Office (full of serious, non-partisan, lawyers and staff). I hear people are reading BOOKS to KIDS in LIBRARIES! Draft me a bill that will defund public libraries if they continue this ‘story-hour’ nonsense”
— Erin Maye Quade (@ErinMayeQuade) March 9, 2020
Lucero claimed he was receiving “hate mail” from people upset by his proposed legislation. He wrote on Facebook, “All five of [the bill’s sponsors] immediately began receiving hate email which continued throughout the evening and all night long. I woke up this morning to an email Inbox full of hate email from those who insist taxpayer dollars from the state level be allowed to continue funding ‘drag queen story hour events’ hosted at the local level.”
Minnesota was home to one of the most controversial “drag queen story hours” after one performer in a short dress was accused of flashing the children while doing a story hour at a Hennepin County library in Hopkins, Minnesota. The performer was not naked but forgot to put a pair of panties over the tan leggings in the photograph. Still, many questioned the event, including the Child Protection League, which made the photograph go viral.
“Drag queen story hours” have drawn large crowds to libraries throughout the country, including a recent event in Washington, D.C. Speaking out against the events has been controversial. A church in San Diego was vandalized after speaking out against “drag queen story hours.”
