Supporters from across Leeds are planning to rally this weekend to protect a family event that has been subjected to far-right protests around the country.
Drag Queen Story Hour is taking place this weekend in Leeds on Saturday, August 6. As part of their summer 2022 tour, drag queens will perform stories focusing on how it's okay to be different at three libraries around Leeds for children and parents.
The tour started in Reading on July 25 and has gone to several cities already - but homophobic far-right groups of protesters have turned up at events in Kent, Bristol and Reading claiming the events are 'sexualising their children'.
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Storytime drag queen Aida H Dee, had to be escorted from a library in Reading by police, and one story-time in Bristol had to be postponed due to safety concerns. However, the performers were able to thwart protesters at other events in Bristol by contacting attending families to rearrange the times and locations unbeknownst to far-right groups.
It is not confirmed whether far-right groups intend to protest the Leeds events this weekend - but the people of Leeds are rallying to make sure Drag Queen Story Hour isn't ruined. Counter protesters are planning to 'ring-fence' the events with peaceful gatherings to keep far-right groups away.
The counter-protests are being organised by Leeds Stand Up To Racism and the Trans Pennine Travelling Sisters, a group of nuns who support LGBT+ communities.
A spokesperson for Leeds Stand Up To Racism told LeedsLive: "Standing up to these protesters is to stand against fascism. My daughter is a primary school teacher, and she loves these events.
"Drag performance is an art form. It's about characters reading stories to small children about how it's okay to be different. The far-right have chosen this in order to try and whip up hatred, and we're organising to oppose them.
"Our groups will be peaceful. We want to form a protective ring around the libraries and story times. These are events for children, so we'll be holding flowers, and unicorns and other toys - things like that."
A survey by charity Just Like Us in 2021 found that LGBT+ young people are twice as likely to worry about their mental health and struggle with loneliness.
In a further statement, Leeds Stand Up To Racism said: "We welcome the attempts by local authorities, including Leeds, to address this by hosting Drag Queen Story Hour, often as part of local Pride events. We condemn attempts by the far-right to foster the pernicious myth that drag is a kind of "child grooming" or in some way sexual, leading to accusations of paedophilia."
It added: "We call on all community and labour movement organisations and individuals irrespective of ethnicity or creed to stand firm against the bigots and support the counter-protests in Leeds against attempts to shut down "Drag Queen Story Hour". Don't let the fascists divide us."
After the protests in Bristol, the council there stood behind Drag Queen Story Hour, condemning the protests for discrimination and abuse. Reading Council also condemned the protests.
Aida H Dee, known as Sebastian Samuel off-stage, told the BBC after the Reading protests: "What is confusing is that these groups are attempting to create a sexual focus here where none exists by drawing attention to sex and sexuality."
Aida has previously talked about how Drag Queen Story Hour provides positive LGBT+ role models for children that they didn't have as a child.
Protesters at the Kent protests held banners from far-right group Patriotic Alternative. Patriotic Alternative has been run by Mark Collett from Leeds, formerly of the BNP, and Laura Towler. MPs, education officials and advocacy groups have previously condemned the group's 'hateful ideology' and 'racist world view'.
LeedsLive contacted Patriotic Alternative to find out if they would be protesting the Leeds events, but did not receive a response.
To find out how to join the rallies in support of Drag Queen Story Hour on Saturday, go here and here.
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