17, protesters gathered outside a branch of the New York Public Library in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood to oppose a Drag Story Hour event that, according to organizers, was created to be more accessible to children with autism and other disabilities. Thursday’s incident marks at least the second protest of a Drag Story Hour event in New York City this month. Demonstrators gather to protest against Drag Story Hour outside the Queens Public Library in New York on Thursday. She wore a teal wig that matched the color of her sequin top, and strappy gold stilettos. ![]() ![]() On a rainy Thursday afternoon in October, Bella Noche sashayed into the reading room at the North Forest Park library in Queens. More than 130 Vermonters packed into the Kellogg-Hubbard Childrens Library in Montpelier to see Drag Queen Story Hour, Saturday. In the past year, some conservative elected officials, right-wing media personalities and anti-LGBTQ social media accounts have characterized the program as inappropriate for children, and some have even gone so far as to describe it as sexually “grooming” minors, perpetuating a decades-old attack on LGBTQ people. Drag Queen Story Hour is held at a childrens activity center in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles. “The harmful, homophobic, and transphobic extremism targeting Drag Story Hour events and the New Yorkers who support them, including council members, is vile and dangerous.” “In recent months, anti-LGBTQIA+ protesters have descended on these family events, attempting to get into our libraries to disrupt them while shouting homophobic and transphobic slurs at performers and attendees,” they said. Hours before the event, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams released a joint statement with three council members - Krishnan, Erik Bottcher and Crystal Hudson - stating that the three members had their homes vandalized in connection with their support of recent Drag Story Hour events. ![]() Demonstrators gather for a protest in support of the Drag Story Hour outside the Queens Public Library in New York on Thursday. What is Drag Queen Story Hour Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH) is a national organization with chapters in various cities that organizes events where drag queens read books to kids. The NYPD also received two arson complaints in which an unidentified individual allegedly poured a substance on two unoccupied vehicles and set them on fire, but those cases are still under investigation, the spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department said one person was arrested in connection with Thursday’s protest. Drag Story Hour celebrates reading through the glamorous art of drag.
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