Storytime was anything but a drag for attendees at Saturday's event.
The Devereaux Dolls E’Claire and Carmen entertained a crowd of 53 people during Drag Queen Storytime in the Zima Room at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library, on Saturday.
Carmen read Pride Puppy by Robin Stevenson and then E’Claire read Auntie Uncle by Ellie Royce, to the group of children, parents and grandparents, many of whom were wearing PRIDE flags on their clothing in support of the community.
After the stories were over, attendees enjoyed making crafts and had the opportunity to meet and take photos with Carmen and E’Claire.
“It’s important that families of any kind are able to learn their truth and learn it in a safe and comfortable environment,” E’Claire said.
She stressed the events aren’t just about pronouns, and also cover issues such as blended families, and provide a point of connection for those in the community.
“I think in smaller towns ... they know that there is a gay community; they know that there are drag queens, but they don’t know how to connect or maybe don’t have a way to connect. So by holding these events we open the doors for people to come,” she said.
When it comes to choosing which books to read, E’Claire said they first look at audience composition such as the age range of the kids and the types of parents.
“Sometimes, we have a whole room full of dads,” she said.
Next, she said they try to consider feedback from library patrons and parents seeking books related to their family’s situation.
The Devereaux Dolls have starred in several storytime events this year, including in Penetanguishene, Midland, Alliston, Georgina, Newmarket and Aurora, and E’Claire said the overall reception has been positive.
“Anytime there was a protester there’s been five more anti-protesters. So it’s always been that the drag support has outnumbered the protesters five to one,” she said.
Carmen added that sometimes they will attempt to educate protesters by inviting them to attend the events and see it for themselves.
“It’s the fear of the unknown, and if they see that everything is positive and a learning experience, then I don’t see any issues at all,” she said.
While the atmosphere inside Saturday’s event was noticeably positive, with children listening and laughing to stories and jokes, things were less positive outside the library where a few protesters held signs denouncing the event and engaged in discussions with supporters.
Library staff called South Simcoe Police Service to request the assistance of officers, two of whom attended and spoke with protesters to ensure everyone remained calm and safe.
Police described the protesters as peaceful.
Protester Matthew Lilley said he felt the event was inappropriate for children, saying that sometimes the outfits worn by presenters are over sexualized.
When asked what aspects of the event he found inappropriate, he said “everything.”
“It’s a 50-plus-year-old man dressed in a Mother Goose outfit with a character display of femininity ... and this is being passed off to children as normal, as appropriate. These are men. That is extremely confusing for young children who have no idea,” he said.
E’Claire questioned how their Mother Goose outfits could be considered over sexualized.
“We get a lot of comments that we’re strippers. Anytime you go to the theatre or you go to an adult event, you dress according to the event. It’s the same for us. We are characters that we play and we’re not going to bring an adult costume to a children’s event. I don’t know anyone in their right mind that would do that in or out of the gay community,” she said.
Carmen stressed that The Devereauxs are known for the separation.
“We have our bar shows and restaurants and 19-plus events, and then we have the children and what we’re doing is completely different. That needs to be clear,” she said.
Lilley also had concerns about what he called gender ideology, “which is inherently harmful to children,” he said.
When asked to describe the concept in his own words, Lilley emphasized “the mutability between male and female and the separation between sex and gender.”
Health Canada defines gender identity as: “a person’s internal sense or feeling of being male or female, which may or may not be the same as one’s biological sex.”
Lilley also had concerns about hormone-replacement therapy and gender-confirming surgery, but these topics were not included in Saturday's event.
Some of Lilley’s other claims could not be factually verified.
A second session ran shortly after the first in which E’Claire read Red: A Crayon Story by Michael Hall and Carmen read And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell to a group of about 20 attendees.
