Aug 4, 2022·edited Aug 4, 2022Liked by Graham Linehan
Believe me, myself and other women in my WRN group are trying really hard to convey our concerns to the local council and local councillors. Conservative Councillors are the only ones who are listening and in agreement, the Council has given us the brush off but we’re not done yet. Interestingly it made it into the local paper and a commenter quite rightly pointed out that they cancelled Roy Chubby Brown’s gigs but said if you don’t want to see a drag Queen, don’t go: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/whats-on/drag-queen-story-hour-heads-24640369
I’ll be emailing the link to this article Graham, to a Conservative Councillor who’s given me his ear and see what he thinks! 👍🏻
The Paedophile Information Exchange is alive and well, isn't it?
Again, although I think Roy Chubby Brown is repulsive, his show is quite obviously made for adults and it is a personal choice. Banning him was pathetic.
Not true. I read a number of leftists -- not progressives -- who do not buy into this garbage. You might notice if you look that "progressives" are given platforms and genuine leftists are not, only their own blogs and websites (kind of like Graham). The last thing the government surveillors want is people finding out there are rational arguments against everything from trans to predatory capitalism.
I understand what you mean and you're right. I was mostly talking about the more prominent people, who claim to be on the left, that have a platform. That is a whole other problem, where many people in the US view these people as 'the left'.
And so, many people who consider themselves liberal are marching to the drum of these prominent pseudo-leftists, because they don't want to be called bigots, etc. Meanwhile, Republican politicians call Biden, who is probably to the right of Reagan, 'socialist' and many Republican voters fall for it. It's truly a mess.
I totally agree. They are huge promoters of trans / pedophilia / prostitution / pornography, and they are intimately connected with the U.S. government (and not just the U.S.). Very depressing.
Most of them don’t know, because they can’t identify the vast amounts of corporate welfare as socialism, even as they deride any individuals getting any sort of ROI on their taxes for taking ‘handouts’. Bezos, Gates, Buffet, Biden and Musk are the real welfare kings.
There is a whole massive difference between conservatives in the US and conservatives in the UK.
Even in the UK our Conservatives aren't listening en masse yet. Our left wing side is in total capture bar a few brave voices, who their *own parties* are dismissing/rejecting and even in one case, refusing to support when she was threatened if she attended her *own* party's conference!
Surely the council is spending taxpayer's money. As a result, doesn't it have to be in the public's (broad) interest?
Also, it's in a public building, for all to see and hear.
Therefore I really struggle with the whole "don't come if you don't agree" argument.
To call this 'niche' would be the understatement of the year. It really does exclude lots of people for all sorts of reasons. Is this worth a shout, the fact that it's (ironically) not inclusive at all?
Perhaps there's a cultural / religious argument to use?
Yes, this is the obvious solution to the problem. And activists won't even consider ceasing to involve children in drag shows and "storytime hours," because their agenda is 100% to brainwash and sexualize children, despite their claims to the contrary.
That video is excellent and I'm guessing "Kitty Demure" has just upset a lot of creepy blokes. That line about parents being scared of seeming uncool/narrow-minded speaks volumes about why a lot of applied gender ideology gets tolerated; people are terrified of being the 'new bigots.'
Give Denton's their due; they knew what they were doing when they decided to make all this shite look like a civil rights movement.
Well, the Paedophile Information Exchange was associated with the National Council for Civil Liberties right up until the mid 1980s so the perverts always seem to have a direct line to powerful organisations.
Exactly. Do what I say or else you'll be judged and ostracized and smeared. This is coersion, all round.
Also, whenever anyone else puts on an event, they must think really carefully about being PC and meeting the needs of a diverse audience. There's a lot to putting on a successful event that's a good fit.
Seems to be that if you're part of the woke brigade, you can throw caution to the wind. You don't have to "read the room." In fact, you're encouraged to challenge and antagonise in the name of supposed social justice.
Remarkable parallels to have the left treated Muslim grooming gangs (I live in a town hugely affected by the scandal). Swept under the rug by the labour run council and played directly into the hands of the far right.
Surely any sensible person knows bluring the lines between adult entertainment and childrens story telling will create safeguarding loophole. People are affraid to raise the issue because they don't want to offend those with protected characteristics. Once again playing directly into the hands of the insane right wingers.
The Muslim grooming gang scandal seems to be still going on in Telford and many other places with the collusion of Labour Party members, council officials and elements of the police. And most of the media are still not giving this story the airtime/space it deserves.
Good for Piers, but unfortunate for him that he had to come into such close contact with a demonstrator, even one so eloquent 🙄
No, drag queens are not panto dames. The latter aren't sexualised, they're usually highly decorated grandmother figures, not exaggerated, grotesque caricatures of women. Some people like drag queens and find them amusing. Fine, but they have a context as far as performance is concerned, and it doesn't involve an audience of children, ever.
Bullying women online on his story time FB page, including JK Rowling who has helped even reluctant readers to do so? Promoting gender ideology? Saying men can be lesbians too? Is this the "role model" we want for our young kids?
I don't condone swearing and scaring kids outside libraries but how about other, more moderate people who don't agree, what are they to do? They are stuck. Lots of people are showing their contempt for a society that - most of the time - is happy to live by the principle of "each to their own" and "what feels ok for you doesn't feel ok for me". We're all happy with that. Yet this all flies out of the window once a virtue-signalling event gets put on in a public place (using taxpayers' money) and everyone must obey a performer in the name of "tolerance" and "inclusivity". This feels not only coersive to children, but to adults too. "You MUST like it / agree with it", or else you'll be mocked and scorned. I think this is a challenge to a tolerant society, not the creation of one. Look how much trouble has been caused already.
It's not good for children (it's certainly not "vital", kids have done brilliantly without drag for all these years) and it's dividing society. Councils - there is a cost of living crisis, run a politically neutral, cheaper event and give what's left to the food bank.
Performers at the old drag shows (lots of pubs had them in the 80s) never let you forget that they were men in dresses. The jokes were funny and filthy, like an adult version of a pantomime really.
After the show, however, the make up was removed and the trousers came back on, and some of the performers might join the pub crowd for last orders, but you would not always recognise them because a show was neither a way of life, nor a gender identification.
I personally would never pass judgement on any group, whether from the right or the left, who tried to prevent this child abuse/grooming from taking place. Anyway why should the left (in all its forms) have a monopoly on so-called direct action? Sauce for the goose etc..,
Totally see your point but maybe instead of villifying their mistakes, perhaps it would be better to talk to em? Anger gets the best of even the best of us at times, specially where kids are concerned.
I've tried to cut down on that type of thing. I no longer view people along those lines. But I've seen other stuff about this particular lot and I think it would be a disaster if they glommed onto a movement that's doing fine without them
I doubt they actual motives. I view them as the rent-a-mob who see an opportunity to cause mayhem. This is a very easy one to glom onto as most of society would see the DQ as suspect. I see them the same as the Black Pampers group. Both are rent-a-mobs, mostly interested in opportunities to cause anarchy.
However, it doesn't help those who are calling it out for what it is, without using appalling violence.
Already copied in the UK. I won't post it again, but that's why I posed the story from Byline which you can find further down. Yes, far right groups are opportunists who will use issues for leverage, no that doesn't make anyone far right for also seeing a problem here.
As tainted as "critical thinking" is by a million fools who self describe themselves as such online, these literally are introductory examples to the discipline. Simple logic based deductions on whether a statement can be described as true, false or undetermined.
And don't worry, I'm surprised when anyone reads my rambling!
Like you Tom I got rather tired of Graham’s little digs at the conservative/right wing of politics. However, in fairness to him he seems to have throttled back on the bitter language and mended his ways somewhat since I tackled him about it a while back. Either that or he has began to see that many of his problems lie amongst the denizens of the left. There is hope for all of them please God/Yahweh.
ya know Karl, this is Glinner's substack and I think it would be more respectful to respond to his comments directly back to him as above under the circs. Don't know if you're having a rough day but I've never seen you comment in this highhanded way before and it comes across to me as unnecessarily rude tbh. Not that you're not entitled to your own differing views as we all are ocourse.
I’m always the same Moody. I’m a typical Dubliner who likes poking fun at my ‘betters’.
And if Graham is offended he only has to tell me and I will happily fold my tent and stop trying to help him (£100 from me and £95 from a pal of mine in the last eight months alone) put food & water on his table. He is a big boy. On page 63 of AntiWoke by Brendan O’Neill (Connor Court publishing) the author has very harsh things to say about, inter alia, Graham’s 2018 alleged condemnation of Count Dankula (Mark Meechan), the Scottish YouTube meme-maker who was arrested for filming his girl friend’s pet pug doing a Nazi salute. Graham didn’t go into hiding then so why should he be upset with little olde me when I am much more gentle?
I say it as I see it too Karl - as Graham may or may not recall, if I have anything I disagree with I direct to him personally as I would/did to you. We're in this 'fight' together.
No hard feelings Moody. I like a free exchange of views with allies and I never think I get personal. Best wishes.
PS I just reply to comments as I see them. I'm not sure how I would direct comments to Graham personally as surely he reads the whole thing? I don't have a personal contact address for him.
The latest news is that he was cornered in the back street of Brighton today and challenged The rest of the shows today cancelled . I don't agree with what he is doing but I am seriously concerned for him and any children who might get caught up in the protest.
This is exactly what happens when we don't let concerned sensible adults have conversations.
Does anyone know if sessions are free? Lots of low income households in Wales - holiday time is challenging especially for single parent families. When kids go back to school and get asked to share what they did in the hols lots won’t have as much to say compared with financially better off friends. The most important thing (for me) is to focus on the organisers and check what due diligence was carried out before bookings were made. These performers seem to be close to LGBTQIA+ groups . If the groups are being chucked out of schools they shouldn’t be in libraries!
Not only have drag 'queens' (nothing remotely queenly about them, in fact the opposite is true) discovered a heretofore forbidden niche opportunity, but the younger 'be kind' woke brigade, now staffing libraries, have much to answer for too. So ego-invested in being socially progressive and edgy, they have completely disregarded the safeguarding of the children. And let's not forget those silly parents. A three-pronged storm of opportunity and ignorance culminating in Library Story Hour disaster. Not to mention the media completely falling for this travesty. Can't appear to be 'transphobic' can they? And somehow, 'drag queen queer performance' is also under the reality-phobic 'trans' umbrella of dangerous nonsense. Pray for the children.
Lots of public libraries [the ones that haven't been closed obvs] are now run by external commercial organisations not the local authority - wonder if that has any relevance? I know that many in Greater London re-interviewed staff and then if you weren't sacked you were put on zero hour contracts. Anyone here to shed light on this? I'm just thinking how the library staff who used to run the children's libraries for years lived locally and were prolly deemed too 'unwoke' to stay.
It's very relevant. I know many actual librarians went in my local libraries - there were more 'volunteers' to support them starting about 15 or 20 years back. Then hours were cut and as the older ones retired massive changes came in. Whole structures were dismantled. The local authority put the open access computers there so it was filled with people who didn't have access elsewhere and the library element seemed accidental. It was where jobseekers and benefit claimants used computers and funding was for that. Self-service was sold as a brilliant new cost-saving innovation. So no talking to actual, trained librarians and many took early retirement as they saw it all trashed. Most are now 'assistants' and 'admin' and fewer with training or skills and on zero hours. When I asked questions I was told to look it up online or use their website, or I got a shrug which nearly got me screaming. The research section went. It became very depressing to go in as everyone I knew left and the long-serving staff went. The atmosphere changed - it seemed to attract more people with severe mental health or anti-social behaviours. It had always been a place where everyone was welcome but now isn't and there were now more security staff who were fairly bullish.
There are very odd explanations - we're told it's about encouraging reading - then we're told it's about encouraging inclusion and diversity. Doing more with less. No one has ever clearly explained to me how men dressed as sexualised caricatures of women encourages reading or helps small children understand what inclusion and diversity is. Books do that. We used to have people in with exhibitions about historical or local figures or countries and good links with the local schools. DQST has been given approval somewhere and I suppose council and local services are so cut to the bone there's no one left to counter it and those who do are ignored. Too many hear 'equality, inclusion or diversity' and lose all critical thinking skills.
I mourn the loss of quiet, book-oriented, old-fashioned libraries. A respite for the soul. They'll return. Everything old is new again.
Now it's all activity and computer access and social work and woke 'sensibility'.
Unfortunately, because of inadequate social support, libraries too are the refuge of the homeless and not a few disturbed souls. Libraries now require both security guards and social workers.
And you're so right. A true understanding of 'inclusion' and 'diversity' is to be found in reading a wide range of books. That's where our imaginations get stretched and challenged. Not the forced 'inclusion' and 'diversity' of drag for toddlers.
And yes much is now contracted out. It's in the 'arts and community' space and I did go in a few times and stumbled on some people doing 'local history'. They had kids 'creating'. Trouble is no one local or any librarians or archivists were involved and so when I started to talk about local stories they wanted to record me. They had no idea and were 'consultants' from out of the area. It's all well-known, or used to be to us, and there were even books on the shelves if they were interested. They've done this trashing to our local museum.
Any time there's any 'cultural' funding those same few organisations stuffed with the same people get the local council contract to deliver. Then they don't understand why local people refuse this new local 'offer' and footfall drops.
Good news from US: Daily Mail online just reporting that the American Academy of Pediatrics is being accused of pushing trans-identifying teens towards puberty-blockers, hormones and surgery. It’s advice is followed by 67,000 affiliated specialists and backed by the cretin-in-chief, Joe Biden.
It’s critics include Dr Erica Anderson, a trans psychologist and pediatricians. On top of that Republicans 👏 are also passing bills in states banning access to transitioning drugs by youths etc.
Finally Pew Research has found that 60% of US residents in May believed in sex being determined at birth and 46% support laws banning helping children transition
I live in Sweden and have just written an complaint to the festival called Malmöfestivalen (12th-19th of August) that will be hosting a drag show and Drag Queen Storytime ("Sagodragshow") for children. I urge any Swedes or Danes – or ANYONE really, English is fine too – to send a complaint to the festival and to the city of Malmö!
UPDATE: I have just received a complete rejection of my complaint.
Here it is in Swedish:
Drag kommer i många olika former och artistiska uttryck, det finns dragshow för vuxna och det finns drag av helt annan karaktär. Sagodragshow är en programpunkt anpassad för barn där två dragqueens läser sagor. Programpunkten väcker frågor kring normkritik och identitet, att få vara den en själv vill vara. Det är en mycket uppskattad programpunkt som rest Sverige runt, bland annat på skolor och bibliotek.
What's all the fuss about? In the 70's when I was in primary school we used to have "Black and White Minstrel Story Hour". They'd read excerpts from "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and finish with a sing-a-long rendition of "Ol' Man River". Y'all just Dragphobic bigots and DERF's. Nothing to see here as they say.
I totally agree. It's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between real life and parody. I'm talking from my "lived experience" of being an "ally" of LGBTQIADHD plusity plus plus people.
Believe me, myself and other women in my WRN group are trying really hard to convey our concerns to the local council and local councillors. Conservative Councillors are the only ones who are listening and in agreement, the Council has given us the brush off but we’re not done yet. Interestingly it made it into the local paper and a commenter quite rightly pointed out that they cancelled Roy Chubby Brown’s gigs but said if you don’t want to see a drag Queen, don’t go: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/whats-on/drag-queen-story-hour-heads-24640369
I’ll be emailing the link to this article Graham, to a Conservative Councillor who’s given me his ear and see what he thinks! 👍🏻
The Paedophile Information Exchange is alive and well, isn't it?
Again, although I think Roy Chubby Brown is repulsive, his show is quite obviously made for adults and it is a personal choice. Banning him was pathetic.
It never went away. Again, its being supported, encouraged, aided and abetted by Labour.
They never learn the lessons, do they?
Only conservatives are listening to feminist activists here in the US. Leftists have been brainwashed by their need to be the most woke.
Not true. I read a number of leftists -- not progressives -- who do not buy into this garbage. You might notice if you look that "progressives" are given platforms and genuine leftists are not, only their own blogs and websites (kind of like Graham). The last thing the government surveillors want is people finding out there are rational arguments against everything from trans to predatory capitalism.
I understand what you mean and you're right. I was mostly talking about the more prominent people, who claim to be on the left, that have a platform. That is a whole other problem, where many people in the US view these people as 'the left'.
And so, many people who consider themselves liberal are marching to the drum of these prominent pseudo-leftists, because they don't want to be called bigots, etc. Meanwhile, Republican politicians call Biden, who is probably to the right of Reagan, 'socialist' and many Republican voters fall for it. It's truly a mess.
Don't underestimate the distorting power of social media platforms. At some point in this struggle we'll have to take on Big Tech.
I totally agree. They are huge promoters of trans / pedophilia / prostitution / pornography, and they are intimately connected with the U.S. government (and not just the U.S.). Very depressing.
You are so right! Every time I hear some right-winger throwing around the word "socialist," I want to ask them if they know what it means!
Most of them don’t know, because they can’t identify the vast amounts of corporate welfare as socialism, even as they deride any individuals getting any sort of ROI on their taxes for taking ‘handouts’. Bezos, Gates, Buffet, Biden and Musk are the real welfare kings.
There is a whole massive difference between conservatives in the US and conservatives in the UK.
Even in the UK our Conservatives aren't listening en masse yet. Our left wing side is in total capture bar a few brave voices, who their *own parties* are dismissing/rejecting and even in one case, refusing to support when she was threatened if she attended her *own* party's conference!
It’s shocking what I read about the Green party treatment of gender critical women in a previous Glinner post.
Good for you. This is not ok.
Surely the council is spending taxpayer's money. As a result, doesn't it have to be in the public's (broad) interest?
Also, it's in a public building, for all to see and hear.
Therefore I really struggle with the whole "don't come if you don't agree" argument.
To call this 'niche' would be the understatement of the year. It really does exclude lots of people for all sorts of reasons. Is this worth a shout, the fact that it's (ironically) not inclusive at all?
Perhaps there's a cultural / religious argument to use?
Let us know how you get on!
Yes, don’t come if you don’t want to see it does not apply if it involves children.
Hey, any response to your complains? Well done for speaking out!
Yes, this is the obvious solution to the problem. And activists won't even consider ceasing to involve children in drag shows and "storytime hours," because their agenda is 100% to brainwash and sexualize children, despite their claims to the contrary.
Spot on Adult Human Female.
That video is excellent and I'm guessing "Kitty Demure" has just upset a lot of creepy blokes. That line about parents being scared of seeming uncool/narrow-minded speaks volumes about why a lot of applied gender ideology gets tolerated; people are terrified of being the 'new bigots.'
Give Denton's their due; they knew what they were doing when they decided to make all this shite look like a civil rights movement.
Well, the Paedophile Information Exchange was associated with the National Council for Civil Liberties right up until the mid 1980s so the perverts always seem to have a direct line to powerful organisations.
Exactly. Do what I say or else you'll be judged and ostracized and smeared. This is coersion, all round.
Also, whenever anyone else puts on an event, they must think really carefully about being PC and meeting the needs of a diverse audience. There's a lot to putting on a successful event that's a good fit.
Seems to be that if you're part of the woke brigade, you can throw caution to the wind. You don't have to "read the room." In fact, you're encouraged to challenge and antagonise in the name of supposed social justice.
That colourful Welsh drag artiste looks like his Dad was Dr Who and his mum was a pack of Haribo. What a clownish kaleidoscope of menace.
Love it!
Ta!
Remarkable parallels to have the left treated Muslim grooming gangs (I live in a town hugely affected by the scandal). Swept under the rug by the labour run council and played directly into the hands of the far right.
Surely any sensible person knows bluring the lines between adult entertainment and childrens story telling will create safeguarding loophole. People are affraid to raise the issue because they don't want to offend those with protected characteristics. Once again playing directly into the hands of the insane right wingers.
The Muslim grooming gang scandal seems to be still going on in Telford and many other places with the collusion of Labour Party members, council officials and elements of the police. And most of the media are still not giving this story the airtime/space it deserves.
Piers Corbyn in Brighton outside the Jubilee library, protesting against a drag queen reading stories to children today
https://twitter.com/SherrattZac/status/1555150882286747649
a comment
Replying to
@SherrattZac
Piers is correct on this subject.
Adult Drag entertainment is not appropriate for children.
These are not panto dames.
The very name Aida H D is mocking a mental condition (ADHD) which afflicts many children.
Not a great fan of Piers Corbyn but of course he's right on this issue.
'Aida' claims to have ADHD himself btw ..... not that it makes his drag anymore acceptable in front of kids.
Good for Piers, but unfortunate for him that he had to come into such close contact with a demonstrator, even one so eloquent 🙄
No, drag queens are not panto dames. The latter aren't sexualised, they're usually highly decorated grandmother figures, not exaggerated, grotesque caricatures of women. Some people like drag queens and find them amusing. Fine, but they have a context as far as performance is concerned, and it doesn't involve an audience of children, ever.
Bullying women online on his story time FB page, including JK Rowling who has helped even reluctant readers to do so? Promoting gender ideology? Saying men can be lesbians too? Is this the "role model" we want for our young kids?
I don't condone swearing and scaring kids outside libraries but how about other, more moderate people who don't agree, what are they to do? They are stuck. Lots of people are showing their contempt for a society that - most of the time - is happy to live by the principle of "each to their own" and "what feels ok for you doesn't feel ok for me". We're all happy with that. Yet this all flies out of the window once a virtue-signalling event gets put on in a public place (using taxpayers' money) and everyone must obey a performer in the name of "tolerance" and "inclusivity". This feels not only coersive to children, but to adults too. "You MUST like it / agree with it", or else you'll be mocked and scorned. I think this is a challenge to a tolerant society, not the creation of one. Look how much trouble has been caused already.
It's not good for children (it's certainly not "vital", kids have done brilliantly without drag for all these years) and it's dividing society. Councils - there is a cost of living crisis, run a politically neutral, cheaper event and give what's left to the food bank.
A fine short speech by Kitty Demure.
Performers at the old drag shows (lots of pubs had them in the 80s) never let you forget that they were men in dresses. The jokes were funny and filthy, like an adult version of a pantomime really.
After the show, however, the make up was removed and the trousers came back on, and some of the performers might join the pub crowd for last orders, but you would not always recognise them because a show was neither a way of life, nor a gender identification.
In every situation the library should be asked to host a fireman story hour, or a soldier story hour. What about a scientist story hour?
If firemen read to kids with their fire truck parked outside it would be so much more fun.
I've always thought "Undertaker Story Hour" would be good - people who play a major role in our society, but are effectively invisible.
haha too funny!
Yes, children would love that!
I personally would never pass judgement on any group, whether from the right or the left, who tried to prevent this child abuse/grooming from taking place. Anyway why should the left (in all its forms) have a monopoly on so-called direct action? Sauce for the goose etc..,
No no. Kids were there. Not good.
Totally see your point but maybe instead of villifying their mistakes, perhaps it would be better to talk to em? Anger gets the best of even the best of us at times, specially where kids are concerned.
It did get the event , and what these drag ‘Queens’ were up, exposed in the media and thereby to the general public. That’s a win.
I've tried to cut down on that type of thing. I no longer view people along those lines. But I've seen other stuff about this particular lot and I think it would be a disaster if they glommed onto a movement that's doing fine without them
I doubt they actual motives. I view them as the rent-a-mob who see an opportunity to cause mayhem. This is a very easy one to glom onto as most of society would see the DQ as suspect. I see them the same as the Black Pampers group. Both are rent-a-mobs, mostly interested in opportunities to cause anarchy.
However, it doesn't help those who are calling it out for what it is, without using appalling violence.
Already copied in the UK. I won't post it again, but that's why I posed the story from Byline which you can find further down. Yes, far right groups are opportunists who will use issues for leverage, no that doesn't make anyone far right for also seeing a problem here.
As tainted as "critical thinking" is by a million fools who self describe themselves as such online, these literally are introductory examples to the discipline. Simple logic based deductions on whether a statement can be described as true, false or undetermined.
And don't worry, I'm surprised when anyone reads my rambling!
Maybe the parents are window shopping for post transition looks for their kids.
They must be after woke points from their piss poor peers. Sex Worker Finger Painting Workshops for the under-8s can't be too far behind.
Like you Tom I got rather tired of Graham’s little digs at the conservative/right wing of politics. However, in fairness to him he seems to have throttled back on the bitter language and mended his ways somewhat since I tackled him about it a while back. Either that or he has began to see that many of his problems lie amongst the denizens of the left. There is hope for all of them please God/Yahweh.
ya know Karl, this is Glinner's substack and I think it would be more respectful to respond to his comments directly back to him as above under the circs. Don't know if you're having a rough day but I've never seen you comment in this highhanded way before and it comes across to me as unnecessarily rude tbh. Not that you're not entitled to your own differing views as we all are ocourse.
I’m always the same Moody. I’m a typical Dubliner who likes poking fun at my ‘betters’.
And if Graham is offended he only has to tell me and I will happily fold my tent and stop trying to help him (£100 from me and £95 from a pal of mine in the last eight months alone) put food & water on his table. He is a big boy. On page 63 of AntiWoke by Brendan O’Neill (Connor Court publishing) the author has very harsh things to say about, inter alia, Graham’s 2018 alleged condemnation of Count Dankula (Mark Meechan), the Scottish YouTube meme-maker who was arrested for filming his girl friend’s pet pug doing a Nazi salute. Graham didn’t go into hiding then so why should he be upset with little olde me when I am much more gentle?
I say it as I see it too Karl - as Graham may or may not recall, if I have anything I disagree with I direct to him personally as I would/did to you. We're in this 'fight' together.
No hard feelings Moody. I like a free exchange of views with allies and I never think I get personal. Best wishes.
PS I just reply to comments as I see them. I'm not sure how I would direct comments to Graham personally as surely he reads the whole thing? I don't have a personal contact address for him.
The latest news is that he was cornered in the back street of Brighton today and challenged The rest of the shows today cancelled . I don't agree with what he is doing but I am seriously concerned for him and any children who might get caught up in the protest.
This is exactly what happens when we don't let concerned sensible adults have conversations.
Does anyone know if sessions are free? Lots of low income households in Wales - holiday time is challenging especially for single parent families. When kids go back to school and get asked to share what they did in the hols lots won’t have as much to say compared with financially better off friends. The most important thing (for me) is to focus on the organisers and check what due diligence was carried out before bookings were made. These performers seem to be close to LGBTQIA+ groups . If the groups are being chucked out of schools they shouldn’t be in libraries!
Not only have drag 'queens' (nothing remotely queenly about them, in fact the opposite is true) discovered a heretofore forbidden niche opportunity, but the younger 'be kind' woke brigade, now staffing libraries, have much to answer for too. So ego-invested in being socially progressive and edgy, they have completely disregarded the safeguarding of the children. And let's not forget those silly parents. A three-pronged storm of opportunity and ignorance culminating in Library Story Hour disaster. Not to mention the media completely falling for this travesty. Can't appear to be 'transphobic' can they? And somehow, 'drag queen queer performance' is also under the reality-phobic 'trans' umbrella of dangerous nonsense. Pray for the children.
Lots of public libraries [the ones that haven't been closed obvs] are now run by external commercial organisations not the local authority - wonder if that has any relevance? I know that many in Greater London re-interviewed staff and then if you weren't sacked you were put on zero hour contracts. Anyone here to shed light on this? I'm just thinking how the library staff who used to run the children's libraries for years lived locally and were prolly deemed too 'unwoke' to stay.
It's very relevant. I know many actual librarians went in my local libraries - there were more 'volunteers' to support them starting about 15 or 20 years back. Then hours were cut and as the older ones retired massive changes came in. Whole structures were dismantled. The local authority put the open access computers there so it was filled with people who didn't have access elsewhere and the library element seemed accidental. It was where jobseekers and benefit claimants used computers and funding was for that. Self-service was sold as a brilliant new cost-saving innovation. So no talking to actual, trained librarians and many took early retirement as they saw it all trashed. Most are now 'assistants' and 'admin' and fewer with training or skills and on zero hours. When I asked questions I was told to look it up online or use their website, or I got a shrug which nearly got me screaming. The research section went. It became very depressing to go in as everyone I knew left and the long-serving staff went. The atmosphere changed - it seemed to attract more people with severe mental health or anti-social behaviours. It had always been a place where everyone was welcome but now isn't and there were now more security staff who were fairly bullish.
There are very odd explanations - we're told it's about encouraging reading - then we're told it's about encouraging inclusion and diversity. Doing more with less. No one has ever clearly explained to me how men dressed as sexualised caricatures of women encourages reading or helps small children understand what inclusion and diversity is. Books do that. We used to have people in with exhibitions about historical or local figures or countries and good links with the local schools. DQST has been given approval somewhere and I suppose council and local services are so cut to the bone there's no one left to counter it and those who do are ignored. Too many hear 'equality, inclusion or diversity' and lose all critical thinking skills.
I mourn the loss of quiet, book-oriented, old-fashioned libraries. A respite for the soul. They'll return. Everything old is new again.
Now it's all activity and computer access and social work and woke 'sensibility'.
Unfortunately, because of inadequate social support, libraries too are the refuge of the homeless and not a few disturbed souls. Libraries now require both security guards and social workers.
And you're so right. A true understanding of 'inclusion' and 'diversity' is to be found in reading a wide range of books. That's where our imaginations get stretched and challenged. Not the forced 'inclusion' and 'diversity' of drag for toddlers.
And yes much is now contracted out. It's in the 'arts and community' space and I did go in a few times and stumbled on some people doing 'local history'. They had kids 'creating'. Trouble is no one local or any librarians or archivists were involved and so when I started to talk about local stories they wanted to record me. They had no idea and were 'consultants' from out of the area. It's all well-known, or used to be to us, and there were even books on the shelves if they were interested. They've done this trashing to our local museum.
Any time there's any 'cultural' funding those same few organisations stuffed with the same people get the local council contract to deliver. Then they don't understand why local people refuse this new local 'offer' and footfall drops.
Not sure— I worked in a Canadian library & we were completely independent.
Good news from US: Daily Mail online just reporting that the American Academy of Pediatrics is being accused of pushing trans-identifying teens towards puberty-blockers, hormones and surgery. It’s advice is followed by 67,000 affiliated specialists and backed by the cretin-in-chief, Joe Biden.
It’s critics include Dr Erica Anderson, a trans psychologist and pediatricians. On top of that Republicans 👏 are also passing bills in states banning access to transitioning drugs by youths etc.
Finally Pew Research has found that 60% of US residents in May believed in sex being determined at birth and 46% support laws banning helping children transition
I live in Sweden and have just written an complaint to the festival called Malmöfestivalen (12th-19th of August) that will be hosting a drag show and Drag Queen Storytime ("Sagodragshow") for children. I urge any Swedes or Danes – or ANYONE really, English is fine too – to send a complaint to the festival and to the city of Malmö!
WRITE TO: malmofestivalen@malmo.se
and malmostad@malmo.se
UPDATE: I have just received a complete rejection of my complaint.
Here it is in Swedish:
Drag kommer i många olika former och artistiska uttryck, det finns dragshow för vuxna och det finns drag av helt annan karaktär. Sagodragshow är en programpunkt anpassad för barn där två dragqueens läser sagor. Programpunkten väcker frågor kring normkritik och identitet, att få vara den en själv vill vara. Det är en mycket uppskattad programpunkt som rest Sverige runt, bland annat på skolor och bibliotek.
What's all the fuss about? In the 70's when I was in primary school we used to have "Black and White Minstrel Story Hour". They'd read excerpts from "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and finish with a sing-a-long rendition of "Ol' Man River". Y'all just Dragphobic bigots and DERF's. Nothing to see here as they say.
"Y'all just Dragphobic bigots and DERF's."
Ha haha ha....we'll worry about the name calling, once 'Drag Queens ' get added as a protected characteristic to the Equality Act 2010.
Until then....
Where was this? Do you have hard evidence?
haha
Hey, you never know! 😁 😁
I totally agree. It's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between real life and parody. I'm talking from my "lived experience" of being an "ally" of LGBTQIADHD plusity plus plus people.