A FEMINIST group in Argyll and Bute has criticised the inclusion of Drag Queen Story Hour at this year’s upcoming Oban Pride.
Argyll and Bute Scottish Feminists claim the event, which involves drag queens reading picture books to children, exposes children to “adult entertainment” and “sexist stereotypes”.
Drag Queen Story Hour events regularly appear in libraries and other venues across the UK but have been subject to protests in recent weeks due to similar claims from far-right groups and conspiracy theorists.
In a Twitter post the group wrote: “We are extremely disappointed in Oban Pride and Argyll and Bute council’s decision to include Drag Queen story hour in the Oban Pride event.
“Drag is not for children, it is often a highly sexualised caricature of women with misogynistic undertones that many find offensive.
“We will NOT be protesting at any events involving children, but we urge you to rethink this decision.
“Oban Pride is a family event, not an opportunity for children to be exposed to adult entertainment and sexist stereotypes.”
The group is calling on the council to “rethink” the decision, despite the fact the council played no role in organising the event.
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We celebrate and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in Argyll and Bute and so support the objectives of Oban Pride.
“The council does not organise Oban Pride. However, the Oban Common Good Fund did give a contribution to help celebrate this community event.
“The organising committee of Oban Pride arranged the itinerary for the day.”
The Argyll and Bute Scottish Feminists said that they were "disappointed" with the inclusion of Drag Queen Story Hour in Oban Pride.
A spokesperson told The National: "DQSH UK excludes lesbian and bisexual women and we don't see the singular representation by DQSH UK of our community as representative or progressive. Pride has moved on in the last 50 years and our children should see that.
"For Oban Pride we had hoped there would be an opportunity for visibility, for families in particular to see we are now free to be ourselves, without any expectation to perform or play a character. We wanted to support and celebrate the whole community at Pride, but we are sad to see that has been missed."
Last month a Drag Queen Story Hour event in Bristol had to be postponed after a protestor assaulted a man outside.
Another event in Reading was also disrupted after two men stormed into a room full of children and their parents.
The figures behind the events in Bristol and Reading are well-known for spreading conspiracy theories on social media, including baseless claims that Drag Queen Story Hour events are hosted by “paedophiles” and “child groomers”.
An investigation by the BBC found that the protestors also had links to the British Nationalist Party, Patriotic Front and had been backed by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Speaking to The National, SNP MP John Nicolson said that Argyll and Bute Scottish Feminists were misrepresenting the events.
He said: “Right-wing culture warriors spreading disinformation on social media are the scurge of our age.
“Drag queen storytime is an innocent joy for children and adults alike. Those trying to misrepresent the story hours are bad-faith actors and should be ignored, they thrive on attention.”
The group is part of the Scottish Feminist Network, a network of women’s groups who campaign on the sex-based rights of women.
In a later tweet they also criticised the inclusion of drag queens at other events at Oban Pride, calling for the event “to get back to pride for the gay, lesbian and bi members of our community”.
Marie St Sandy, a drag performer based in Glasgow, said the group’s notable exclusion of transgender people was revealing.
She said: “Scottish Feminist Network’s blatant erasure of trans people in their campaigning efforts is atrocious, harmful, and not reflective of modern-day feminism which ought to be intersectional.
“I believe the type of campaigning employed by this group creates more harm to children as they’re stripped of role models, representation, and options to explore gender identity, and talking from my own experience, that is extremely restrictive, especially when you are taught that you are wrong through erasure.”
She added that the group’s claim that drag sexualised children misunderstood the diversity of drag as an art.
“Drag is not inherently sexual and actually comes in various forms whether that’s comedic, artistic or educational, “she said.
“Drag queens have existed in both adult and family settings for decades, which we’ve seen through panto dames who are often presented as positive, bold, and expressive role models which children ought to have.
“To say that drag is misogynistic is absolutely appalling.
“Drag to me has always been a celebration and expression of the femininity I did not get to explore as a child due to a lack of LGBTQ+ representation in the media.
“Femininity, of course comes in various forms and drag is a wonderful way to highlight this, especially when AFAB, trans, and non-binary people participate.”
Oban Pride is due to be held on September 10.
