Act Out held its second annual Drag Story Hour event in the library on February 14, 2024. The event, which focused on providing makeup tutorials for students, was a collaboration between the Drama Club and Act Out.
Mx. Crimmins, the advisor of Act Out who coordinated the event, said that ensuring student enjoyment and highlighting queer joy were the primary purposes of the event. Students were not only able to practice using makeup, but were also able to discuss how drag artistry intersects with other interests they may have.
“This discussion got me to think on how other passions—such as makeup, acting, and fashion—all sort of intersect to help make drag what it is, and how drag proceeds to influence those passions in a type of communicative loop,” said Agatha Kaschei, a junior and member of Act Out.
According to Mx. Crimmins, the planning for this event went smoothly. “Lucky for me, planning another Drag Story Hour event at Fort Hamilton was not too hard logistically,” they said. “Drag Story Hour partners with NYC Public Schools, and we were able to pay for the event with some grant funding.”
The nationwide battle against drag queen story hours has raged on since Fort’s drag story hour last year. This pushback against drag in schools and public spaces was seen in New York this past September, when the Brooklyn Public Library had to relocate a Drag Story Hour event after the library received bomb threats over it.
“As a queer organizer and staff member, I will always have some difficulty surrounding the fear of homophobia or pushback to an event I organize, but this will never stop me from planning cool stuff,” said Mx. Crimmins.
The event ended with students being able to eat cupcakes with the drag queen, which some, including Kaschei, felt was the best part. With regards to what they hoped students obtained from the event, Mx. Crimmins stated, “Fun, joy, laughter, community.” For many students, this is exactly what they experienced.
