Readers weigh in on Drag Queen story hour at Kincardine Library

To the Editor:
RE: “Writer objects to Drag Queen story hour at Kincardine Library

Mrs. Davidson's letter was spot on. While the push in our society is to be loving and inclusive, how about we apply those values to our children, first, who so often have no say in what happens to them?

Children are our richest legacy. They are the future.  Isn't it time we stopped and asked ourselves what kind of godless world we are engineering for them? Children ought not be subjected to sexuality of any kind.

Many have already contacted the library to voice opposition to this event. Please consider doing this. Please also pray for the children.

Rev. Lynda Janzen
Paisley Baptist Church
Mark 10:14-15
 

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Dear Mrs. Davidson.

My goodness, you must be an unusually humble woman.

You failed to cite your credentials, the scope of which must be vast. Based on the issues you raised in your letter, one assumes you’re educated in the fields of Human Behaviour, Sexual Deviance, Mental Health and Child Protection.

I’m curious as to the potential exposure of “children to thoughts and ideas way beyond their years.” I’m assuming you refer to creativity, self-awareness and freedom of expression. Well yes, this may indeed happen.

As to the reference to the sex crimes against children and the potential to experience a “sexual high”- I’m sure you have reams of statistics to validate these claims; otherwise, why would your mind conjure up such thoughts? I do so wish you’d have included your credentials so I, too, could read the lengthy journals and research papers you’ve obviously accessed.

Unlike you, Mrs. Davidson, I am not remotely qualified to discuss anyone’s mental health status, so I’ll steer well clear of this topic you put forth in your reference to “this kind of lifestyle.” You’ve obviously benefited from years of study under the tutelage of esteemed mental health professionals.

You must be blessed with a vivid imagination. This can lead to wonderful creativity - how lucky you are to fill your daydreams imagining the shenanigans and cloak-and-dagger adventurous “double lives” lived by drag queens. In all my 59 years, my mind has never once wandered there.

I laud your concern for the safety of our children and teens. You are absolutely right to worry about them. It’s very troubling to imagine their impressionable minds being manipulated and twisted and filled with unpleasant ideas. It’s absolutely crucial to protect them from the evil that lurks hidden in plain sight, often-times staring right back at us in the mirror.

Might I suggest you avoid Kincardine on the day of the Drag Queen story hour at the library. Traffic on Queen Street may be particularly busy if your fears are borne out with a pied-piper type event, with the children and teens in town being lead away to .... what, exactly? You must have knowledge of an impending sink hole across from Dairy Queen, one large enough to swallow them up and teleport them to some sort of magical land, where they can experience diversity and creativity without judgement.

Heck! I’ll join that parade myself.

Jennifer Allen
Belleville
 

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To the Editor:

I agree with the author of the letter.

There is no room in my public library for espousing the drag lifestyle to our children.

Anna Kanavins
Windsor
 

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To the Kincardine Library:

I hope you will go ahead with your planned theme. I trust that you will use sound judgement in the way and levels this will be presented to various ages. In answer to some of the concerns expressed by Mrs. Davidson:

Does she think about the fact that some priests, school teachers, coaches and various other adults in positions of trust over children, have also committed crimes against children? If you only ever had story hour subjects that never had caused anyone harm … I’m sorry? Has she ever read Grimm's fairy tales?

Her other objections highlight her own level of ignorance about so many things and areas of life … and her own prejudices. The fact she believes that you are doing this to provoke a “sexual high”… seriously?

Pretending that something doesn’t exist does not protect children from those things (should they even need protecting). It only makes it harder for them to understand and recognize when something is merely different - or harmful. It leaves them without a vocabulary to express their concerns, or enable them to ask questions should they ever have any.

I say BRAVO to you all for tackling a different topic with what I am sure will be tact, humour and helpful information.

Sincerely,
Lynn Collins
Kincardine
 

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To the Editor:

I am writing in response to a letter to the editor published on Sept. 30, titled, “Writer objects to Drag Queen story hour at Kincardine Library.”

I am truly appalled that this letter was published in the Kincardine Record as it appears to be veiled opinions used to spread hatred against the LGBTQ+ community.

Providing a platform for such hate does nothing but breed more hate and drive those who need support further away. How many members of our community cannot express themselves because of hatred and ignorance? Hatred and ignorance that this paper has now supported.

Drag is a beautiful form of self-expression which should be supported and valued, not publicly shamed. People who practise Drag are not dangerous or scary and do not deserve such treatment. By encouraging youth to take part in events such as Drag Queen story time, children are taught tolerance which helps them grow up happy and healthy.

Many LGBTQ+ youth will live their lives afraid to be their true selves because of people who consider them something to be feared. These events teach youth to accept others for who they are and that everyone deserves love and respect.

Here are the facts:

LGBTQ+ teens will seriously contemplate suicide at three times the rate of heterosexual youth because of the discrimination they face on a daily basis. LGBTQ+ youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide than peers who have supportive families and communities. Each instance of LGBTQ+ victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behaviour by 2.5 times (The Trevor Project 2019).

This is the eventual outcome if we continue to allow people to spread harmful and dangerous rhetorics in our community. As someone who was born and raised in Kincardine, I refuse to allow hatred and intolerance to breed.

I encourage everyone to educate themselves before writing angry letters on topics they know nothing about. By educating ourselves, it is the only way we can move past hate together.

"For the highest result of education is tolerance" - Helen Keller

Sincerely yours,
Tyler Creces
formerly of Kincardine