by Concerned Citizen Grandmother
Canadian kids are back in school. Are the drag queens back in class, too?
A Gender Dissenter sent this letter to the local school board asking why adult entertainers had been invited to her grandchildren’s elementary school to read to the students.
The grandmother has yet to receive a response to her objection at the time of publication.
Gender Dissent readers with similar concerns are encouraged to borrow and adapt from this letter to let their school board know they are not on board with men who present as pornography-inspired caricatures of women entering their children’s schools and classrooms.
________________________________________________________________________
To: Stephanie Lyrette-Brennan, Commissioner - Ward 4, Western Quebec School Board
RE: Drag queen story hour in Western Quebec public schools
September 17, 2022
Dear Stephanie Lyrette-Brennan:
My children attended public school and high school in Western Quebec in the 1980s and 1990s. I now have grandchildren in Wakefield School. I have paid my school taxes to the Western Quebec School Board for decades.
I am writing to register with the board my absolute disapproval and disagreement with our elementary schools inviting drag queens to read to, or otherwise entertain, our children in an effort to teach them about diversity and inclusion.
My attention was drawn to such an event at Wakefield School last November, at which reportedly four drag performers were featured, via a Wakefield resident’s Facebook post:
And later, via an editorial by Trevor Greenway in the Low Down to Hull and Back News, entitled “You go, Wakefield School” in which he declared:
“Principal Fram-Greig should be equally lauded for being immediately receptive to the idea of having drag queens and kings read stories to the students. Where else will our kids learn this level of love and acceptance? Where are they going to learn about different cultures, perspectives, and outlooks than in our schools? Let’s be honest, we aren’t exactly busting at the seams with diversity here in the Hills. We’re a very white community and our kids are living in a bit of a bubble.”
Where else, indeed, one wonders, but in school, might our children learn about different cultures and perspectives, and to be accepting and loving? Hmmmm.
With regard to drag queen Sunshine Glitterchild, pictured in the Facebook post above, I draw your attention to his Instagram biography from the time of his appearance in Wakefield last November.
Sunshine prides himself on spreading his legs and glitter. (Today, his Instagram bio reads that he's here to spread "cheeks":
I am wondering what, if any, investigation was conducted on this individual before he was invited into Wakefield School to speak with our children about his life as an adult entertainer? (His Instagram bio appeared at the top of my Google search). And I ask, if someone did look into him, how it was decided that a man who readily advertises his pleasure at spreading his legs and his “cheeks” in public is an appropriate invited speaker for K4 to grade six students?
It should not need to be explained to the school board or to school teachers that drag is hyper-sexualized ADULT entertainment and is not suitable for young children. Most specifically, it is not appropriate in their place of learning where their parents are not present.
Surely, the school can engage other artists and entertainers from the area who can also encourage creative expression, inclusion and acceptance among our students – preferably artists who do not arrive at the school sporting stiletto heels and sexy costumes with side-slits up to their hips. Seven-year-old children do not need to be taught how to be queer or queer-accepting in school. Children need to be taught how to identify and protect themselves from persons who do not have their best interests at heart. Why would a drag queen have any desire to perform in front of children that was not entirely self-serving? The school board is responsible for ensuring that its students' best interests are top and foremost of its agenda.
Drag is inherently misogynistic and demeaning to women and girls.
Drag, as now presented through mainstream media and social media, advises little girls that their natural female attributes are permissible targets for appropriation, exaggeration, ridicule and comparison.
Drag advises expressive, gender-creative little boys that moving about in the world as a pornified caricature of a woman is a satisfying and meaningful career choice.
Drag queen story time is promoted as a means to encourage acceptance among young children of queer culture which includes alternative/non-traditional lifestyles led by persons of alternative/modern sexualities and genders. Indeed, it would be a rare child who would not be impressed by a larger- and louder-than-life man/woman in glitter wear and cartoon stripper-face who is eager to spend time with them and who tells them they are ALL potentially fabulous – as epitomized by cross-dressing adult entertainers. And the earlier (younger) they start working at being fabulous, the better.
Those who promote the presence of drag queens in places where children are available are understood by critical thinkers who do not subscribe to progressive politics to be groomers. A groomer is someone who builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or a young person so they can then be manipulated, exploited and abused.
In this article by Alline Cormier, published in one of Canada’s widely read feminist publications:
“… there is validity to the fact that children who are led to view sexual perversions and hypersexualized behaviour from men as normal are easier targets for pedophiles.”
And,
“Drag queen story times break down children’s natural boundaries toward strange men and vulgar behaviour, making them vulnerable to sex predators.”
There is also disagreement within the drag scene as to the appropriateness of exposing young children to persons who represent the adult underground and its associated lewdness, drugs and promiscuity. Take it from influential drag queen, Kitty Demure.
As a taxpayer to the Western Quebec School Board, I do not want any portion of my school taxes to support any activity that confuses, exploits, embarrasses or endangers children, or that may be perceived as having the potential to do so.
The offer of providing parents with the option of keeping their children out of school on the day that a drag queen may visit is not an acceptable compromise. This practice creates division in the classroom and subjects these children to finger-pointing by their classmates and classmate’s families. It also creates a fear-of-missing-out in the child, thus also realistically creating tensions and struggles at home between the child and their parents.
I request that the Western Quebec School Board quickly adopt a policy that disallows in-character drag queens from entering our public schools at any time, for any purpose.
It is conceivable that if drag queen story time is again scheduled to take place at Wakefield School, that a local awareness-raising event will be arranged for like-minded persons who hold that drag queen story time in elementary school is inappropriate and constitutes a misuse of our taxes.
I will appreciate consideration and a response to this letter.
I am copying Wakefield School, the mayor of la Pȇche and our Member of the National Assembly so all may be aware of my request.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen Grandmother
Gatineau, QC
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