Drag Story Hour, a program popular at libraries across the country, is back at Washoe County libraries this summer.
The events are scheduled on:
- Thursday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Downtown Reno Library
- Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Valleys Library
- Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sparks Library.
The reader at all three will be Miss Ginger Devine, who was voted Best Drag Queen in the 2015 Reno News & Review readers’ poll.
At story time, men dressed in exaggerated, stereotypical feminine clothes and makeup read children’s books to children and their parents. The program has been a hit in Washoe County, but it’s also a lightning rod in the culture wars. In late February, opponents of the event, spurred on by Washoe County Republican Party leaders, attended a Washoe County Commission meeting to demand the story times be discontinued.
Opponents argue that such events are inappropriate for children. Advocates of the story times note that parents decide what is and is not appropriate for their own children. Parents accompany their kids to the events.
The stories read are chosen from a library-approved list. The event is paid for by the nonprofit Friends of the Washoe County Library, and no tax money is involved.
Our Center, which provides Northern Nevada’s LGBTQ+ community with access to advocacy, support, educational programs, services and resources, will be coordinating volunteers to attend each of the events. The Washoe County libraries and Our Center, a spokeswoman said, will be producing “rainbow festivals” at each of the readings “to further support the joyful work that drag performers contribute to youth.”
Volunteers will receive conflict intervention and de-escalation training before their involvement at each of the readings in order to help keep the events safe.
Our Center welcomes more volunteers; more information can be found at ourcenterreno.org.
Hooray, keep up the good work.