Pride in first drag queen story event
A DRAG QUEEN storytime for children and adults is coming to a field near Huddersfield.
Drag queen storytimes – or drag queen story hours (DQSHs) – are where drag queens read children’s books to children and their parents.
They are designed to teach children about diversity and identity.
Pride in the Horse Field – at Be More Outdoors, Slaithwaite – could be the first of its kind in the Huddersfield area.
While regular drag shows often contain adult themes and sexual innuendo, these storytimes are intended to be suitable for all ages.
But such events have attracted rightwing protests and in some cases, DQSHs have been cancelled because of safety concerns.
The event, off Manchester Road, takes place on June 10 from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Drag queen Hwhipped Cream will tell the story of a drag queen who goes to work in a horse field.
Tickets cost £8, £1 of which will be donated to Sparkle – The National Transgender Charity.
Tickets include snacks, bottomless non-alcoholic drinks and crafts.
Be More Outdoors have insisted the
Generally, people are looking forward to a super celebration with us
Be More Outdoors
event is suitable for all ages. The outdoor activity centre told the Examiner: “Local reaction has been very positive and supportive of the event.
“There have been one or two negative comments which have been handled by group admins but these are coming from a place of ignorance rather than malice.
“Generally, people are looking forward to a super celebration with us.
“It is definitely a family event. We have been telling tales to families with pre-schooled children for over a decade and would never offend any of our attendees.
“All of our stories are created for family consumption. When creating stories for families it is necessary to speak with an adult voice at the same time as entertaining children.
“Some jokes and comments will not be understood by small children. The story has been written by one of our practitioners who has written stories for adults and children for over a decade.”
The first DQSH was held in San Francisco’s famous LGBTQ+ Castro district in 2015.
A DQSH took place at Leeds Central Library in August.
Despite a far-right protest – and a counter-protest in support of the DQSH – the event went ahead.