Drag queen storytelling event to go ahead despite planned protest from right wing group
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
A pub will go ahead with a drag queen storytelling event for kids after a right wing group threatened to protest it.
The Honor Oak Pub will hold a “Magical Storytelling Session” hosted by drag queen That Girl on Saturday, despite Turning Point UK saying it will demonstrate outside the event.
Turning Point UK is the British offshoot of the right wing American youth pressure group, Turning Point USA.
A spokesman for the group said it was protesting the event because the performers hosting it were “largely adult performers”.
Drag artist That Girl, who is hosting the session, rubbished claims the event wasn’t suitable for children.
They said: “We are fostering a love of stories and I’m just a clown in a pretty dress facilitating that. It’s entirely age appropriate. To suggest otherwise is misinformation.”
That Girl said the Honor Oak Pub had hosted drag story times for almost a year without any issues and said it was a “valued part of the [pub’s] monthly calendar” with “numerous regular attendees”.
They added that “safeguarding of the event and guests” was their top priority.
A counter-demonstration beginning at 10am on Saturday has been organised against Turning Point UK’s protest.
A poster advertising the protest shared on Twitter reads: “Far right organisation Turning Point UK are attempting to disrupt a drag queen storytime event at the Honor Oak Pub.
“We (a group of locals) have organised a counter-demonstration to show that the community absolutely rejects their message of hate and division.”
In response to the planned demonstration by Turning Point UK, the Honor Oak Pub released a statement on Facebook stressing the event was suitable for children.
The post read: “It has come to our attention that there may be some misunderstanding about the event, so we wanted to reassure you all that our popular Magical Storytelling event will be age appropriate and it isn’t anything different to what families will see and experience together in a theatre.”
A spokesman for Turning Point UK said: “Our main concern is that even in the unlikely scenario the ‘Drag Story Hour’ is age appropriate for children, after the performance these kids – most of whom now have access to social media – will look up the performers online and be exposed to adult content, which is unacceptable.”
The Honor Oak pub in Honor Oak (Picture: Google Street View)
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
