含羞草研究社

Skip to content

Online backlash forces Nelson library to postpone drag story time event

The library says it will now consider how else it can support the 2SLGTBQIA+ community

The Nelson Public Library is postponing a drag story time for children following pressure from a homophobic online backlash to the event.

Chief librarian Tracy Therrien said in a statement that misinformation about Saturday含羞草研究社檚 event spread on social media and included threats against the library.

含羞草研究社淲e recognize the rights of individuals to protest. When protests turn to threats and intimidation tactics aimed toward the staff and the story tellers, the safety of library patrons, public and the staff take precedence.含羞草研究社

The story time was set to be hosted by two parents who are story tellers and, according to the library, each have professional experience working with children. The stories were also chosen by the children含羞草研究社檚 librarian.

Therrien, who declined to comment further when contacted by the Nelson Star, said in the statement Wednesday that the library will now consider new events in partnership with Nelson含羞草研究社檚 2SLGTBQIA+ community.

含羞草研究社淲e believe access to information is a fundamental right and strive to make our library space and services welcoming for everyone. We are proud to serve and support many at-risk and vulnerable populations, and do not wish to put anyone in a potentially dangerous or triggering situation due to threatening protests.含羞草研究社

Drag story time events have previously been held in Nelson 含羞草研究社 in 2018 含羞草研究社 but right-wing politicians and groups have begun to rally against the readings for what they claim is the sexualization of young children.

The protests began in the United States but have spread to Canada and British Columbia. In December, an all-ages drag show held at a Kelowna restaurant between protesters and counter-protesters. But a drag story time at Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 library in January was .

While drag shows can include some explicit content, readings for young children hosted by performers are age appropriate, voluntary and include parents.

Nelson聮s Birkley Valks reads a story to his son. Valks was set to host a drag story time at the Nelson Public Library on Saturday, but the event has been postponed following online protests. Photo: Submitted
Nelson含羞草研究社檚 Birkley Valks reads a story to his son. Valks was set to host a drag story time at the Nelson Public Library on Saturday, but the event has been postponed following online protests. Photo: Submitted

Birkley Valks, who was born and raised in Nelson, was one of the performers set to read at the event. A father himself, Valks said he was disappointed by the library含羞草研究社檚 decision but respected the need for caution.

含羞草研究社淪afety is the biggest concern for everybody involved. I just wanted to read stories to kids because I含羞草研究社檝e got two little ones and I thought that would be a fun time. It wasn含羞草研究社檛 meant to be anything more than that. 含羞草研究社 I just wanted to give back.含羞草研究社

Nelson has a vibrant 2SLGTBQIA+ community that is celebrated annually with , which typically packs the downtown in September. But residents have also faced decades of discrimination that was documented in the movie released last year by local filmmaker Amy Bohigian.

Christopher Moore is among the people credited with founding Nelson含羞草研究社檚 Pride Parade, which faced community backlash and threats to participants when it was first held in 1996.

Moore wants the library to move forward with the drag story time, and said he hopes the online abuse is being investigated by the Nelson Police Department. Chief Donovan Fisher told the Nelson Star in an email that his officers are in communication with the library but did not disclose if an investigation is underway.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 like to see everyone come together and says this event is going to happen,含羞草研究社 said Moore. 含羞草研究社淎nd if people are going to disrupt it in any way, there will be consequences within the law. I mean, how different would it be if there was an Indigenous or Black event and people said, 含羞草研究社極h we don含羞草研究社檛 want that here.含羞草研究社 Those voices wouldn含羞草研究社檛 even be heard at all, so why are we hearing these voices [now]?含羞草研究社

Valks said he hopes people opposing drag story time events make the effort to attend one themselves.

含羞草研究社淭his is just like taking our kids to Disneyland. People are stepping up in character, you含羞草研究社檙e having fun, it含羞草研究社檚 no different, it含羞草研究社檚 just in your community,含羞草研究社 he said.

含羞草研究社淪o I would say come and take a look and see for yourself. Are we that scary? I guarantee you, you will walk away going, 含羞草研究社楴o, they含羞草研究社檙e really not, and that was actually quite fantastic and maybe I含羞草研究社檓 going to bring my kids next time.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫

The response to the library含羞草研究社檚 event reminds Moore of the inaugural parade. He thinks it is naive to think Nelson is an entirely safe and inclusive city, but that progress has been in the last 27 years. A screening of Queering the Interior last week in nearby Castlegar, Moore said, was a packed and positive event.

含羞草研究社淲e have come a long way, and we have a lot more to go.含羞草研究社

READ MORE:

含羞草研究社

含羞草研究社

含羞草研究社

含羞草研究社

| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .

32075366_web1_copy_230316-KWS-DragReading_2
Nelson含羞草研究社檚 Chase Adams reads to a child during a drag story time at Kootenay Kids in 2018. A similar event has been postponed by the Nelson Public Library due to online backlash. Photo: Tyler Harper


Tyler Harper

About the Author: Tyler Harper

I含羞草研究社檓 editor-reporter at the Nelson Star, where I含羞草研究社檝e worked since 2015.
Read more



(or

含羞草研究社

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }