COMMUNICATIONS IS EVERYWHERE: Drag Queen Story Hour

The event I attended was held by 1 For All The Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee

State University and the Tully Center for Free Speech and entitled “Free Speech Story Hour” with guest speaker Johnathan Hamilt, Executive Director of Drag Queen Story Hour. Dr. Kyla Garrett Wagner and Professor Roy Gutterman shared their legal expertise while also mediating a Q&A session at the end. Now that the introductions are out of the way, it is time to dive deeper into what Drag Queen Story Hour is and why public relations and communications professionals are needed to help solve its problem.

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Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH) is a nonprofit organization seeking to celebrate and normalize gender expression and acceptance through literacy and the beautiful art of drag. Members of DQSH host the interactive story hours with young children normally between the ages of 5 and 8. These story hours are filled with imagination as members read fun and educational books in libraries, schools and similar community spaces. However, the wholesome intentions behind DQSH have been met with great controversy and protests across the nation. New legislation is being introduced to attempt to censor the DQSH members in these public community spaces. The problem is many people, specifically in the more conservative minded states, do not understand the concept around DQSH and do not accept individuals belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. There is miscommunication happening from the members within DQSH and the surrounding community members – this is where public relations and communications professionals come in.

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The two conversations to the controversy and miscommunication surrounding DQSH can be seen highlighted in The Kansas City Star. While the Kansas City Public Library has not held a story hour, the St. Joseph Public Library and St. Louis Public Library did and this sparked outrage and a new bill to be proposed by Ben Baker, Missouri State Representative. Baker proposed the Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act in 2020, referencing the DQSH as “That’s where in a public space, our kids could be exposed to something that’s age- inappropriate.”1 He went on to express that he believes these events can draw “child predators and pedophiles.” It is important to note that the Houston Public Library did have a drag queen at a DQSH that was a registered sex offender – the library admitted to not doing a background check.2

 

However, it is unclear if this is what Baker is referencing in his claims.

The other side of the controversy can be seen and explained by Shira Berkowitz, communication manager for PROMO Missouri – a gay rights advocacy organization. Berkowitz explains the importance of DQSH in a conservative state, “It’s really important to have these safe spaces where children and families can come into the visibility of LGBT people or queerness, or playfulness in their identities, whether that be through literature or the performative nature of drag culture”. 3 The viewpoint that Berkowitz expresses towards DQSH are similar to those seen in New York and California where these events largely take place without protest. The miscommunication in states like Missouri comes from the true intent and nature of DQSH not being fully explained to entities like Baker and others resistant to the event.

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1 Thomas, Crystal. “Drag Queen Story Hour Prompts Bill to Limit Library ...” The Kansas City Star, January 16, 2020. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics- government/article239357118.html.

2 Talarico, Lauren. “Houston Public Library Admits Registered Child Sex Offender Read to Kids in Drag Queen Storytime.” khou.com, March 15, 2019. https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-public-library-admits-registered-child- sex-offender-read-to-kids-in-drag-queen-storytime/285-becf3a0d-56c5-4f3c-96df- add07bbd002a.

3 Thomas, “Drag Queen Story Hour Prompts Bill to Limit Library ...”, 2020

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The mission of DQSH is to “celebrate reading through the glamorous art of drag. Our chapter network creates diverse, accessible and culturally inclusive family programming where kids can express their authentic selves and become bright lights of changer in their communities”.4 The literature included in this inherently family friendly event are books that call for inclusivity and the celebration of diversity like Neither, I’m Not Scared and The World Needs Your Voice. The literary materials are targeted at younger audiences and are books that everyday parents might be naturally reaching for in the library. Edie Pasek, a member of DQSH, further explains “We want to teach the kids acceptance, not bullying, learning to make good choices, how to be nice to other people. I have a 6-year-old and whatever I think we need to teach her is what we bring to story hour.”5 DQSH is not exposing children or at times teenagers to age- inappropriate content, but this is not what the contrary public sees or thinks. DQSH and its members must show their mission and the authenticity of their event to the public.

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It is imperative to the success and longevity of DQSH that it shares with the public what actually happens during their events and explain the importance behind having drag queens share these stories with young children. Just as what has happened with the Black Lives Matter movement and continues with the feminist movement, people confuse and do not understand the mission behind DQSH and its DQSH’s job to show them. It is unfortunate that a nonprofit organization centered around a marginalized community is having to explain its importance, but it must in order to continue forward. As it is now, the DQSH is stating what it does at the events but not showing what these events mean to and for the children and parents that attend. DQSH draw on their supporters to tell the story behind the event and why it is so important to have children exposed to diversity and inclusion at an early age.

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4 Drag Queen Story Hour. “About.” Drag Queen Story Hour, October 29, 2021. https://www.dragqueenstoryhour.org/about/ .

5 Stack, Liam. “Drag Queen Story Hour Continues Its Reign at Libraries, despite Backlash.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 6, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/us/drag-queen-story-hour.html .

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There are a few ways DQSH can shift from explaining their importance to showing their importance and shifting their social media is the first place to start. The DQSH Instagram page has over 1,000 posts, 20,200 followers and eight story highlights. There is one story highlight entitled “Why” and once clicked it states “DQSH can be life-changing and ultimately life-saving for LGBTQ kids and anyone who feels different because of their identity or interests or who may not otherwise see themselves reflected in the broader culture.”6 DQSH’s “why” is hidden in a cluster of Instagram story highlights that the average person is not going to click on. By reading their “why”, the reader now understands the importance of having a drag queen share the message of inclusivity and diversity – to show children the beauty and acceptance behind being different. However, DQSH’s “why” cannot be hidden and must be clearly expressed in every social media post and event.

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Another recommendation for DQSH is to allow the children and families attending the event to give their reason behind why they value this experience. Children are a compelling force and the public against DQSH will have a much harder time trying to abolish these events if the families attending them speak up on their importance. DQSH can feature different children and their families twice a month on their Instagram as posts or stories to share their own experiences that led them to this event. It is important for DQSH to not forget the humans and thus their humanity behind why it holds these events. DQSH can highlight these individual experiences on their social media channels, but also while at the actual story hour events. DQSH members can invite children or their guardians to come forward and share why they came to the event and one important takeaway they have after listening to the stories. The amplification of children’s’ voices can do wonders to drown out the hate coming from protesters. At the end of the day, DQSH is putting on these events for children to have a safe, accepting and educational environment within their community.

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6 “Drag Queen Story Hour (@Dragqueenstoryhour) • Instagram ...” Accessed November 3, 2021. https://www.instagram.com/dragqueenstoryhour/ .

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The next recommendation relates to the “why” in that DQSH must show their value to the publics that are against it. This recommendation calls on DQSH to get their hands dirty in some research to show it is one of, if not the only nonprofit organization doing this niche community work. DQSH has the opportunity to show its opposers that it is the only story hour of its kind, and so this story is worth telling and sharing with others. The members of DQSH can also build the value of the organization by adding new elements like a podcast that discusses inclusivity and diversity to an older audience and by writing their own books to share during story hours. DQSH has been around since 2015 and it is important to keep building value and adding new and unique elements to the organization.

The final recommendation for DQSH is to continue to make partnerships outside of the libraries and community spaces – corporate partnerships are detrimental for a nonprofit organization. DQSH can look at partnering with Barnes & Noble, well-known drag queen and television personality RuPaul Andre Charles and Natural Girls United, a collection of diverse and customizable dolls. Partnerships are not only important for donations, but also for reaching different audiences, expanding interest and awareness and increasing brand credibility.7 DQSH has the ability to include others in its story while also receiving some financial help to continue to do good.

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While DQSH cannot change the mind of every person or entity who opposes its mission and the LGTBQ+ community as a whole, it can continue to build trust with those already participating in its events and attract support from others who see its value. The road ahead for DQSH is not an easy one, but one that is definitely worth walking down. The opposition that DQSH has received is ignorant, incorrect and the bills they have pushed have been unconstitutional. The efforts to try and ban DQSH have all violated the important First Amendment, because they are targeting the sexual identity of the members of DQSH. Families are choosing to bring their children to these fabulous, interactive and informative story hours. DQSH has so much good to offer the world and the world just simply needs to understand this good and the need for inclusivity and diversity in the form of drag queens reading to children.

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Communication is key when it comes to resolving the controversy that DQSH has been subject to, but also in continuing to spread the importance of their mission. DQSH must not lose sight of their value, “why” and the families that have supported them up until this point. Every story is worth telling and DQSH recognizes that and continues to show others the beauty in being uniquely you. A little help from public relations and communications professionals will take DQSH to the next level and ensure it will stand the test of discrimination, controversy and time.

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7 Jung, Elizabeth. “Strengthen Your Nonprofit with a Strategic Partnership.” Classy, September 2, 2021. https://www.classy.org/blog/strengthen-nonprofit-strategic- partnership/#:~:text=Increase%20Brand%20Credibility,build%20trust%20and%20attract% 20support .