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AG Letitia James to host ‘Drag Story Hour’ for kids in NYC — sparking outrage
New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to host a “Drag Story Hour” for children in Manhattan this weekend — as several GOP-led states are forging ahead to try and ban simi…
nypost.com
AG Letitia James to host ‘Drag Story Hour’ for kids in NYC — sparking outrage
By
Emily Crane
March 14, 2023 5:35pm
Updated
New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to host a “Drag Story Hour” for children in Manhattan this weekend — and the event is sparking outrage over the use of taxpayer money for the already controversial event.
James and a string of fellow elected Democratic city and state leaders plan to attend Sunday’s event in the West Village where “families with children” are invited to watch drag performers read books over a four-hour stretch.
The AG’s March 19 event is co-sponsored by Drag Story Hour NYC — a nonprofit that has been showered in taxpayers funds, which has enabled them to send drag performers into public schools and libraries to interact with children as young as 3.
“My office is proud to host a Drag Story Hour read-a-thon,” James wrote on Instagram as she promoted the event. “We’re inviting families to join us at the @lgbtcenternyc with @dragstoryhour, drag storytellers, community leaders, and elected officials.”
News of the event sparked immediate backlash on Twitter, with some claiming New Yorkers’ tax dollars were “hard at work grooming kids.”
“Why?? Why???? What is the purpose of government funded drag queens for children? To teach tolerance? BS,” Matt Antar, the New York Young Republican Club’s finance chairman, tweeted.
“Drag is a profession, not a “type of person.” A profession where adult men do exaggerated female impersonations often scantily clad with sexual themes… This is not the way.”
Conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair also chimed in, tweeting: “The “family-friendly” event will take place at the ‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.’ Your tax dollars are hard at work grooming kids!”
Steve Cortes, a former spokesman for President Trump’s campaign, added: “This kind of explicit targeting of children is just evil.”
“Grownups want to dress in drag? More power to them. But what is this fascination with wanting people to bring their kids to your drag show?” TV personality Judge Alex Ferrer tweeted.
The Libs of TikTok tweeted: “Our tax dollars are being used by government officials to fund and promote the sexualization of our children.”
Drag queen story hours for kids have been held at public libraries across the city since 2017 but the events have recently drawn backlash and violent protests.
Cops were forced to step in when a dueling protests descended into chaos outside a story hour in Jackson Heights, Queens in December.
Footage from that scene showed some protesters brandishing a Proud Boys flag and shouting “Leave the kids alone!” at the supporters of the event.
Just weeks earlier, protesters holding signs that read “stop grooming kids for sex” were caught on camera shouting expletives outside a drag story hour in Chelsea.
It comes as Republican-led states, such as Arkansas, look to ban such events altogether.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants to prohibit drag shows from taking place on public property in the state — a move that she says will protect children from being exposed to “sexually explicit drag shows.”