Drag Story Time

Drag Story Time is just what it sounds like—drag artists (Queens, Kings, Qwings and more) reading stories to children in libraries, schools, and other community spaces. Most events are 45 minutes and designed for children ages 3-7, though this may vary by location or event. A drag artist generally reads 3-4 children’s books, sings children’s songs, and leads children in a craft activity such as making crowns, wands, or paper bag puppets, or sometimes other activities like face painting or dress-up time. 

Through a fun and fabulous literary experience, Drag Story Time celebrates learning and play, encouraging kids to celebrate gender diversity and all kinds of difference, while building confidence in expressing themselves.  

Drag Story Time helps children develop empathy, learn about gender diversity and difference, and tap into their own creativity. It can also be life-changing and ultimately life-saving for 2S-LGBTQQIAP+ kids and teens, kids with 2S-LGBTQQIAP+ parents or family members, and anyone who feels different because of their identity or interests or who may not otherwise see themselves reflected in the broader culture. 

Drag is an artistic way of expressing yourself and showing the world who you are or who you want to be. Drag artists often express different aspects of their gender or personality through dressing up, performing, marching in parades, and volunteering in their communities. There are drag queens, drag kings, drag qwings, drag princes, and drag princesses—anyone can be any of the above, regardless of how they identify in everyday life! All that matters is that, when you dress up, you feel comfortable and creative.  

You can ask! It’s always OK to ask someone what their pronouns are. Examples of pronouns are “she,” “he,” and “they.” Some people have different pronouns at different times, like when they are in drag and out of drag. Others have the same pronouns all the time.

Most children naturally explore gender identity and norms through imaginative play. However, too often gender norms are socially enforced at all ages: from the colors or clothes we’re supposed to wear, to the toys kids are allowed to play with, to the kinds of jobs we’re trained for. Drag Story Time teaches children to follow their passions and embrace gender diversity in themselves and others. This helps to curb bullying of 2S-LGBTQQIAP+ kids and kids who may be perceived as different in all kinds of ways. 

Like all of our children’s programs, this event will be child-friendly and age-appropriate. Most children naturally will explore gender identity and norms via imaginative play throughout their childhood. Often, heteronormative gender norms are socially enforced at all ages, from the clothes and colours we are supposed to wear, to the toys that kids are allowed to play with. There is no evidence that programs celebrating gender diversity and gender fluidity are harmful to children, but there is evidence that homophobia and transphobia do harm children.

Children and drag artists have a lot in common. They love to dress up and use their imaginations to create awesome looks and express different sides of themselves. It’s no wonder they get along so well! 

If this program does not interest you, we respect your choice not to attend and hope that you will find a program at the Library that does interest you. We offer a variety of programs, including a number of Story Time programs by storytellers not in Drag, and we welcome you to attend those. Ultimately, parents and guardians are responsible for supervising library use by their – and only their – children. The Library does not allow individuals to decide how the rest of the community uses the Library.