Drag queen story hour reigns supreme in Indy
When you hear the word Drag Queens you might think of LGBT night clubs, bachelorette parties, brunch at Baby’s {our CityMoms are still talking about how much fun we had}, or even the highly-addictive RuPaul’s Drag Race, but children’s literacy had probably not crossed your mind. But here in Indy, a special group of ladies is bringing a little glitz and a lot of heart to story hour for kids in the Circle City.
In 2015, San Francisco author and activist, Michelle Tea started the first Drag Queen Story Hour to inspire a love of reading, while teaching deeper lessons on diversity, self-love and an appreciation of others. While Drag Queen story hours were popping up in liberal enclaves on the coasts, the idea might have seemed miles away from Indiana. A vibrant Drag community had a presence in Indianapolis, but it wasn’t a part of the mainstream consciousness of local families. Enter Stephen Lane, Special Collections Librarian, who was scrolling through Facebook one day and stumbled across an article about Drag Queen story hour programming in New York and San Francisco and knew immediately he wanted to bring it to the Indianapolis Public Library.
In the fall of 2016, with the help of his supervisor, Stephen reached out to The Bag Ladies, a local LGBT non-profit, which raises money through Drag performances to support those impacted by HIV and AIDS. The Bag Ladies were on board and Latrina Bidet and Pat Yo Weave volunteered for the first Drag Queen Story Hour. Stephen felt nervous leading up to the event, not knowing how the community would respond. The library had received some protest about the program, but overwhelmingly the response was positive and the room was packed with families waiting for the first story hour to begin. “To see these Drag Queens strut across the atrium of the Central Library was one of the highlights of my career,” Stephen said. “It was such a great feeling.”
Stephen described the magic of the first event, recalling fondly watching Pat Yo Weave interacting with an antsy toddler in the front row. Each time the child would stand up or cause a disturbance, Pat would joyfully interact with and make jokes, causing all the kids and parents to laugh. “Kids love the idea of the costumes and the all the glitz and glam,” said Pat. “They are not worried about if it is a man dressed up like a woman or if you were biologically born a man. Kids only care about having fun at these shows and as an entertainer, that is my job.”
The response to the Drag Queen Story Hour at the library was so positive, they decided to make it an annual event, on the Friday before the Pride Parade in June. In 2017, local Drag Queen, Mossy Stone was looking to infuse her passion for children and teaching into her love of performing and found the perfect fit with Indy Reads Books co-hosting a regularly occurring Drag Queen Story Hour at their store. “We have a philosophy that our community space is always for the community,” said Chrissy Vasquez, Chief Development Officer of Indy Reads. “We want to bring in programming that makes people feel comfortable and included. We thought it was a great way to connect everyone in our community.” Similarly, to the experience at the library, there has been pushback from a small number of area residents, but in general the community has positively responded to the program. “The families that come are grateful their children can be introduced to all types of culture in Indy and that everyone matters no matter what their background,” said Chrissy.
So, what will you see during a Drag Queen Story Hour? Well, yes, there are Drag Queens in beautiful costumes, hair, and makeup. But what your kids will see are adults who are fun, engaging, and want to connect with them. Chrissy said the program is not about Drag, but rather about community connection, with an underlying theme about loving yourself and loving others. “It is affirming for an LGBTQ child to see someone from their community in a public space in a positive way,” said Stephen. “It is also great for straight kids to interact with someone different from their own experiences.”
WANT TO CELEBRATE DRAG PERFORMERS EVERY MONTH?:
Check out our review of Baby's Drag Brunch
“When I was a kid, I didn’t know many people like me, and I especially didn’t see many people like me on the TV or in my community. Not that there wasn’t some queer representation out there, but those catered to culturally palatable tropes of who gay folks are, and I didn’t quite fit into those either,” said Mossy. “So, when I’m working with kids, I try to be the person I needed when I was in their shoes. My inspirations are Mister Rogers and Sheri Lewis from Lamb Chop, who offered great stories, moral lessons, and strong personal affirmations for kids to love and respect themselves.” And you can feel Mossy’s love for learning and kids and hear her message of self-love and kindness woven into all her story hour themes.
Each Drag Queen Story Hour features a book reading {or two}, singing and dancing {don’t worry, it is all PG}, and an opportunity to meet, talk to, and stake a selfie with the Queens. “I’ve always loved to play make-believe. Storytelling, characters, and costumes were all in my vocabulary at a very young age. There was always a freedom found when I used my imagination,” explained Mossy, when talking about the similarities between performing for children or adults. “So, whether it’s at a bookstore with kids, or on a stage for adults, I can bring the party. And that’s non-fiction.”
Over the years, story hour at the library and Indy Reads has continued to grow, and attract a following, not just of audience members, but also Drag Queens wanting to participate. Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic has pressed the pause button on Drag Queen Story Hour. Mossy Stone has been reading virtually to children through her Instagram page, though she will sadly be relocating from Indianapolis this summer as she is moving forward with her dream of running a publishing company and completing her first fictional book series. Indy Reads is working with Mossy to continue this program after the store moves into its new location in Fountain Square in August. The 2020 Indianapolis Public Library Drag Queen Story Hour has been postponed, and they are hoping to hold the event virtually or in-person later this year.
For more information about Drag Queen Story Hour, follow the Indianapolis Public Library and Indy Reads Books on social media for updated event information.
